Pretending you’re invisible can save your life

At least two or three times a week, I see a local news story about a pedestrian getting hit by a car while crossing a street. They're either killed or seriously injured.

Sometimes the driver stayed on the scene. Sometimes they left. But that’s not my point.

I haven’t done a thorough analysis, but it seems that most of these car-vs.-pedestrian crashes occur when the pedestrian is not in a marked crosswalk or is crossing against the light.

I doubt that any of them stepped out onto the street intending to be hit.

Here’s my advice for pedestrians to be smart walkers, no matter when or where:

Pretend you’re invisible.

Adopt a mindset that drivers can’t see you—because often, they can’t, especially at dawn, dusk or night. And even on a bright sunny day, they may not be looking at you.

Don’t dart in front of cars expecting that they’ll stop for you. If they don’t see you, they won’t stop.

Take the time to use marked crosswalks at lighted intersections, even when it means going out of your way. Again, it’s a visibility thing—drivers are more likely to be watching for pedestrians at intersections.

Before stepping into the street, look in all directions, including for turning vehicles. Don’t assume drivers will follow traffic laws and yield to you.

Be sure you have plenty of time to get across the street before a car reaches you, especially if you must cross where there is no light or crosswalk. If you’re in a hurry, think about how much getting hit by a car will slow you down.

If you’re in a group and someone else does something risky, speak up. And if you can’t stop them, don’t join them—do the smart, safe thing.

Of course, not all pedestrian injuries and deaths occur when the person is crossing a street. Other things can happen—like a crash between two or more cars that sends a vehicle up on a sidewalk, striking pedestrians, or when a driver is impaired because of intoxicants or a medical condition. No amount of smart walking can protect you in every situation.

It’s also true that a variety of issues contribute to the growing number of pedestrian injuries and deaths, including the failure of cities to update their roads and larger, heavier vehicles that cause greater harm if they hit someone. Check out the Automoblog article “Pedestrian Deaths Have Skyrocketed. Who Is To Blame?” for more frightening statistics and some possible solutions.

In the meantime, when you’re walking, pretend you're invisible to drivers.