Each year in New York City, around 100 pedestrians are fatally struck when crossing the street. Many of these incidents are preventable when both drivers and pedestrians maintain awareness of their surroundings and practice safe crossing techniques. With that in mind, here are five tips to help pedestrians safely cross the street.
Left-Right-Left
It’s old advice, but it’s good advice. Even if you have a WALK signal, you should look left, then right, and left again before crossing the street. This will help you identify nearby vehicles before you step into the road and could prevent an accident, especially if a car is attempting to turn right against a red light.
Establish Eye Contact
A car pulling out of a parking structure or alleyway is supposed to yield to pedestrians. When you spot a car rolling toward you at low speed, make eye contact with the driver and ensure they slow down before you step in front of their vehicle. Generally, if there are no pedestrian traffic signals, a driver should yield or at least slow down when a pedestrian makes eye contact.
Phone Away
Always put your phone away before stepping into the street. If you’re looking down at your phone, you’re not looking at potential hazards around you. In 2015,1-in-20 people fatally struck at the crosswalk were looking at their phones at the time of the crash.
Walk, Don’t Run
If there’s only a few seconds left on the WALK signal, it’s better to wait at the curb than to risk running across the street. It’s tempting to think nearby cars can wait a few seconds since they’re already stopped, but that’s not always the case. If a car gets a green light as they approach the intersection, the driver may to be prepared for a pedestrian running across the street.
Stop at the Curb
Whether you’re at an unmarked intersection or you have a WALK signal, you should always pause at the curb for a second and look both ways before crossing. This will help you identify potential hazards and give you an opportunity to your phone away or make eye contact with a driver before you step into the street. Often, stopping for a single second can mean the difference between crossing safely and a potential accident.
If you or someone you love were struck by a car, you need affordable representation from a team you can trust. If you’d like an experienced New York City car accident attorney from Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices to evaluate your case, don’t hesitate to call us at (718) 690-3132 or send us an email!