A Focus on Pedestrian Safety!

Help Prevent Roadway Accidents Involving Pedestrians
Many pedestrians assume drivers will see them easily and stop their vehicles. However, due to factors such as heavy traffic, poor road conditions and various kinds of distractions, drivers do not always react quickly enough — and the statistics bear this out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that accidents involving single motor vehicles account for 92% of pedestrian fatalities from motor vehicle crashes. 

Why Pedestrians Need Your Drivers’ Attention
Listed below are some of the types of people and situations your employees might face while driving on behalf of your business. Being mindful of these factors as they take the wheel only serves to make your drivers better able to react at the moment, they encounter a pedestrian.

• Elderly citizens. They often take a long time to cross the street, their ability to react may be slow, and hearing and vision impairments may make them unaware of oncoming traffic.
• Drunk or high individuals. With little or no warning, pedestrians under the influence of alcohol or drugs can step into the road without proper judgment of oncoming traffic’s speed or distance.
• Dense urban areas. Such districts often feature restaurants, stores, theaters, and sports venues. Foot traffic is heavy, and people often enter streets from between parked cars instead of crosswalks.
• Nighttime visibility. Darkness hinders vision for both drivers and pedestrians, and more than half of all pedestrian deaths occur between 6:00 and 11:59 p.m. While pedestrians should wear light-colored clothing and carry a flashlight or glow stick, many do not.
• Electronic and other distractions. Talking and texting while driving is a dangerous distraction and is AGAINST THE LAW a CMV. Plus, being unfamiliar with surroundings can force your drivers to pay more attention to buildings and street signs than to traffic signals and pedestrians.
• Busy neighborhoods. Such areas often have large populations of children on their sidewalks and streets. According to Safe Kids Worldwide TM, unintentional pedestrian injuries are the fifth leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. for children ages 5 to 19.2 Playgrounds and fields used for local sports can increase the chances of encountering a child in traffic.

How to Steer Clear of Accidents with Pedestrians
Your drivers should keep the following basic tips in mind while traveling through areas where pedestrians are present:

• Look for pedestrians everywhere. Walkers and runners may not be where they should be or may be hard to see — especially in poorly lit conditions and bad weather.
• Always stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk or where pedestrian crosswalk signs are posted.
• Do not pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. They may be stopped to allow pedestrians to cross the street.
• Slow down to look for pedestrians. Be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
• Never use a phone or other devices while driving. Pull over someplace safe to avoid inattention blindness.
• Be careful when backing out of parking spaces. Pedestrians may not be visible and they may not recognize that a vehicle is backing out.
• Be aware of blind spots all around your vehicle from the A-pillar along both sides of your windshield to blind zones along each side of your vehicle.
• Use eye contact or a polite gesture to communicate your intention to a pedestrian.
• When making a turn in a truck with a trailer, be mindful of improper tracking, as this may cause the trailer to run across a sidewalk where pedestrians may be standing.

Communicating with other Drivers and Pedestrians while Driving
By appropriately using communication, you make it easier for other drivers to see you. You also make it easier for you to see other drivers. Ensuring that you can see other drivers and that they can see you will drastically reduce the chance of an accident. The following communication devices are part of your “execution arsenal”:

• Turn signals can be used to let other drivers know that you are turning, changing lanes, pulling out of a parking space, or pulling out from the curb. You should signal at least four seconds before you plan to take action.
• Emergency Signals should be used to warn other drivers that you are experiencing vehicle trouble or when you must park on the shoulder of the roadway for an emergency. This is a warning to other drivers to give you more space.
• The horn should be tapped lightly when trying to gain the attention of another driver or pedestrian. It should not be used to vent frustration at other drivers’ actions.
• Headlights: Many new trucks have daytime running lights that turn on automatically. These help other drivers see you. You can flash your lights to oncoming traffic to warn them of dangers up ahead such as accidents or obstructions in the roadway.

When Your Driver is the Pedestrian
Most of us in the transportation industry spend a considerable amount of time and effort training our drivers how to drive defensively and making sure that the truck they are operating is always safe.  But do you ever consider your drivers safety when they are outside of the truck making deliveries to your customers and are facing the exposures that exist as a pedestrian?  The exposure is real for your drivers and training should be provided to make sure they are not injured or killed as a pedestrian while they perform their deliveries.

The following are tips to share with your drivers to help protect them as pedestrians:

As a pedestrian, you are at a major disadvantage when crossing streets, intersections and standing on corners. You are not always visible to drivers; especially for large truck and bus drivers and you don’t stand a chance if a vehicle hits you. Pedestrians need to be careful of all vehicles and never take chances when they are sharing the road with large vehicles, like trucks and buses. Here are some safety tips that can keep you safe when walking from one destination to another.

WATCH YOUR WALK WAYS
Walk on sidewalks and in crosswalks whenever possible. It is important to pay attention to walk signals and keep a safe distance when standing on street corners. Trucks and buses make wide right turns and occasionally run up onto the corner of the sidewalk. It is important for you to be alert and to move back. Mostly likely, the truck driver will not see you or may be distracted and you could be seriously injured or killed if hit.

KNOW YOUR NO-ZONES
Be careful of the blind spots, or No-Zones, around cars, trucks, and buses when walking near or around them. Always assume the driver does not know that you are there. Because of a truck’s large blind spots, a driver may not see, so it is up to you to avoid a crash. Never walk behind a truck when it is backing up; truck drivers cannot see directly behind the truck and could seriously injure you.

STOPPING DISTANCES
Use caution when crossing intersections and streets. You may think vehicles will stop for you, but they may not see you or even be able to stop. Remember, trucks, cars, motorcycles, and bicyclists, all have different stopping capabilities. In fact, trucks can take much more space to stop than passenger vehicles. Never take a chance with a truck, even if the driver sees you, he may not be able to stop.

MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE
Wear bright or reflective clothing, especially when walking at night. Dressing to be seen will make it safer for you and drivers. Professional drivers do a lot of driving at night, and there’s a good chance a truck driver will not see you if you don’t make yourself visible. Carrying a flashlight is your safest bet for being seen at night.

WATCH OUT FOR WIDE LOADS
Trucks with wide loads have very limited visibility as well as difficulty maneuvering. Wide loads are much heavier and take up lots of room on the road. You need to be aware when walking near a truck with a wide load, because the driver may not see you. Trucks with wide loads make even wider right turns, require more space, and take even longer to stop than other trucks on the road. Remember to keep your distance when walking around these large trucks.

New Technology for Better Fleet Safety Management
As a business owner, you should consider technological aids to assist your drivers and to enforce your policies. There are devices such as back up warning alarms, rear and front mount cross over mirrors, back up cameras and back up sensors. These systems can detect encroachment by pedestrians, cars, or bikes.