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Walking SafelyRonald Porep, Republished from SafetyIssues.com Issue 24 |
Volume 4 Issue 43June 2005 |
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Walking is the most basic form of transportation. It's also an enjoyable
exercise. Walking keeps you fit. It's good for your heart, and has many
other health benefits. Best of all, just about anyone can do it. Walking,
like any other exercise though, has to be done safely. Here are some tips to avoid becoming a walking accident statistic. Walk on walks or, if there are no walks, then paths. Walk on the road only if there is no where else to walk. You should be wearing bright clothes when walking especially at night or near a road. |
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Bright clothes make you easier to avoid even in daylight especially for a driver who may not have all his attention on the road as he should. At night, add bright strips to the backs of your shoes. The more visible you are, the less likely that you will be hit. While drivers need to pay attention to you, you need to pay attention to drivers too. That is why wearing a Walkman or other music player is not a great idea while walking. The headphones block off one of your most important danger warning senses – hearing – and take your concentration away from your surroundings. The same applies to talking on your cell phone while walking. Your attention is on the conversation and not your surroundings as it should be. Walk with someone preferably in a group. Groups are easier for drivers to notice. Also, a lone walker is an easy target for an attacker such as a rapist or thief while most criminals will pass on a group as groups tend to turn into mobs when one of the group’s members is attacked. When crossing a road, do so in a group and in an area where you are highly visible and you can easily see cars approaching you. You should carry at least a compass with you and a map of the area you are walking in. The best choice for walking is a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) reader that can give you your location to within a few feet wherever you are. If on the road and you have to check your compass and map or GPS, stand as far as off the road as you can so cars can easily avoid you. Also, have a cell phone with you. You can call the police for directions or for emergency help much faster with a cell phone than trying to find a pay phone in the area where you are walking. In an emergency, minutes count so you need to get help as fast as possible. And wear comfortable shoes that give you good traction. High heels are not appropriate for walks as are not street shoes. Both heels and street shoes can cause you to have an accident such as a broken ankle, hip or leg – sending you to the hospital. Walking is great exercise but, like all exercise, has to be done safely. |
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