The best way to reduce your risk of being hit by a vehicle is to follow basic pedestrian safety rules, remain aware of your surroundings, and make yourself as visible and predictable as possible.
Drivers have a duty to watch for pedestrians, but pedestrians can also take steps to protect themselves, and in a city as busy as Washington, DC, those steps matter. Call our experienced pedestrian attorney in Washington, DC for a free consultation today.
1. Always Use Crosswalks When Available
Cross at marked crosswalks whenever you can, and remember that most intersections have legal unmarked crosswalks even without painted lines. Crossing at designated locations improves your visibility and puts you where drivers are already looking. Drivers anticipate pedestrians at intersections far more than they do mid-block.
2. Obey Traffic Signals
Wait for the Walk signal before stepping into the street, and don’t start crossing on a flashing or solid Don’t Walk signal. Even when the signal is in your favor, avoid assuming drivers will stop; a signal gives you the right-of-way, but it doesn’t guarantee a distracted or hurried driver will honor it.
3. Look Both Ways Before Crossing
Check traffic in both directions even when you have the right-of-way. Watch for turning vehicles, which cause a large share of pedestrian accidents, and stay alert for cyclists and scooters, which are much quicker and quieter than you may think.
4. Stay Alert and Avoid Distractions
Put away your phone before you cross, and remove your headphones or lower the volume so you can hear approaching traffic. Texting while crossing takes your eyes off the road, so you should avoid that at all costs.
5. Make Eye Contact With Drivers
Never assume a driver has seen you. Making eye contact before crossing in front of a vehicle helps confirm the driver is actually yielding rather than just slowing down. Be especially cautious around large trucks and buses, whose drivers sit high above the road and have significant blind spots where a pedestrian can disappear entirely.
6. Wear Bright or Reflective Clothing at Night
Dark clothing makes pedestrians extremely difficult to see after sunset, even under streetlights. Wearing bright colors and reflective materials dramatically increases the distance at which drivers can spot you, and carrying a flashlight on dark routes helps both your visibility and theirs.
Many fatal pedestrian accidents happen at night, and visibility is the single biggest factor you control.
7. Stay on Sidewalks Whenever Possible
Use the sidewalk whenever one is available. If no sidewalk exists, walk facing oncoming traffic when it’s safe to do so, which lets you see approaching vehicles and react. In every case, keep as much distance between yourself and moving vehicles as practical.
8. Never Assume Drivers Will Yield
Even careful pedestrians share the road with drivers who are distracted, speeding, or impaired, and poor weather or limited visibility makes things worse.
Defensive walking means treating every approaching vehicle as if the driver hasn’t seen you until they prove otherwise. The right-of-way protects you legally, but it won’t protect you physically if the other driver makes a mistake.
9. Be Extra Careful Around Intersections and Driveways
Some of the most dangerous moments happen where vehicles cross pedestrian paths. Watch for a few recurring hazards, like:
- Turning vehicles focused on traffic rather than the crosswalk
- Drivers exiting parking lots and driveways
- Right-turn-on-red situations, where drivers look left for cars while you cross from the right
Slowing down and double-checking when you’re at these places can prevent a pedestrian accident.
10. Teach Children Safe Pedestrian Habits
Children are smaller, harder to see, and less able to judge vehicle speed and distance, so safe habits have to be taught early.
Hold young children’s hands near traffic, teach them to stop, look, and listen before crossing, and show them how to use crosswalks and read traffic signals. Supervise children near busy roads until they’ve demonstrated they can handle them alone.
Injured by a Driver While Walking in DC? Contact Lightfoot Law
Even the most careful pedestrian can’t control a negligent driver. If you or a loved one was hit by a vehicle in Washington, DC, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact Lightfoot Law today for a free consultation with a Washington, DC pedestrian accident attorney.