Walking is a fun and healthy activity, but you need to know the rules of walking safely.
It is important to walk on sidewalks when they are available as they are the safest place to walk. Sidewalks keep you separated from the street and out of the path of a vehicle.
Always walk facing traffic so you can see the traffic in front of you and you can make eye contact with the driver if necessary.
Wear bright colored clothing and try to only walk in the daytime so you are more visible to the drivers. If you have to walk at night, wear light-colored clothing or a reflective vest to be visible. Drivers are often not expecting walkers to be out after dark, and you need to give them every chance to see you, even at street crossings that have crossing signals.
Avoid being distracted when walking by keeping your head up and your device down. Also, if wearing ear buds or headphones, make sure to keep the volume low so you can hear the traffic and other noises around you.
You should always try to cross the street at an intersection if possible. Look both ways before crossing the street and make eye contact with the drivers before crossing and give them a wave, so they know you are planning to cross. Do not start crossing the street between parked cars as the drivers may not have seen you behind the cars.
