The Do’s And Don’ts Of Avoiding A New Haven Pedestrian Accident

Walking around New Haven can be such a wonderful experience that it can often make you forget that there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do to avoid a New Haven pedestrian accident.  When you’re walking around and exploring the city’s wonderful shops and restaurants or visiting one of our neighborhood parks, your mind may not be on the safety aspect of your stroll, but it should be.  If you aren’t safe, your enjoyment will be diminished significantly.

Safety should be your number one priority while you’re walking through the city and it should become second nature to you so you can always remain safe.  If you work on getting down the basics of staying safe so you don’t even have to think about them more then once or twice a year, you will be well on your way to a safe and enjoyable stroll through the city.  So, read over these dos and don’ts of safety when you’re out walking, commit them to memory, and then head out and enjoy your walk with the peace of mind that you are ready to be a safe walker without even having to think about it.

The DO’s of being a pedestrian in New Haven:

1.) DO unplug from all of your devices.  Make sure that you are highly engaged in your own safety without having any of the phone distractions that can often get in your way of being safe.

2.) DO make eye contact with on-coming traffic.  Making sure that the driver of the vehicle in front of you has seen you and has acknowledged that you’ll be crossing the street will go a long way to avoiding an accident.

3.) DO stay alert.  Your best defenses against getting injured are your own eyes and ears.  Putting your senses to the test while out for a walk will put you in the best position to have a safe walk.

The DONT’s of being a pedestrian in New Haven:

1.) DON’T jaywalk.  Jaywalking will likely get you a ticket, but worse it may also put you in a vulnerable position where on-coming traffic does not see you before it is too late.

2.) DON’T cross without looking both ways.  This is true at any crossing, but especially when crossing at an intersection where cars may be turning and may have trouble seeing you, so you must see them.

3.) DON’T wear clothes that make you blend in to your surroundings.  The safest outfit you can wear is one that has reflective tape, but even if you’re not wearing reflective tape, you can wear brightly colored clothing that will make you stand out, not blend in.

When you’re trying to avoid getting into a New Haven pedestrian accident you can take these three DO’s and three DON’Ts and follow them to safety.  If you can commit these to memory you can head out of your home or apartment and feel safe that you’re doing and not doing all of the things necessary to help keep yourself safe while walking through the streets of New Haven.

If, by chance, you do get into an accident, even when following all of these items, you may need to speak with an attorney who can review your situation.  Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will speak with you and work with you to protect your long-term interests.