Three Safety Tips To Protect You From A New Haven Pedestrian Accident

In the coming weeks it will become more and more likely that you will find yourself out and about walking through the streets of the Elm City enjoying the beautiful spring weather that is likely to arrive.  It is with that in mind that we want to provide you with some safety tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of a New Haven pedestrian accident and becoming injured so you can no longer enjoy a nice walk through our city.

Pedestrian accidents throughout the state of Connecticut are increasing and many are leading to fatalities.  It is critical that you take all the necessary precautions you can take to make sure you don’t become one of the numbers that have been growing in recent years.  While safety precautions alone will not protect you entirely from being in an accident, they will certainly limit your chances of becoming hurt.

If you’re venturing out either on foot or bike, you should take these tips into account to keep yourself safe and anyone who you are traveling with safe as well;

1.) If you are out walking during daylight hours you should always wear bright clothing.  Bright clothing will allow you to be seen more readily by on-coming traffic and will help you stand out in difficult to see areas.  If you wear brightly colored clothing during the day it is less likely that you will be invisible to traffic and get injured in an accident.

2.) What if you’re out at night?  Brightly colored clothing is a good idea,  but it will not be enough.  In fact, brightly colored clothing likely won’t do the trick at all.  In order to be seen at night you should be wearing reflective clothing.  This can be clothing that is specifically designed to be seen at night or it can be clothing that is outfitted with reflective tape so you can be seen when wearing it at night.

3.) Always walk on a sidewalk or facing traffic.  If you are out walking the safest thing to do is to be on a sidewalk.  If there are no sidewalks in the area where you are walking you should walk facing traffic so you can see them and they can see you.  The more visible you are the safer you will be.

4.) As with any traveling whether you are in a car, on a motorcycle or walking as a pedestrian it is critical that you avoid distractions.  Looking down at your cellphone for instance requires you to stop walking to use your phone.  Then when you’ve found the information you need you can start walking again, but until then you should come to a complete stop before looking down at your phone.

These safety tips come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and should be followed whenever you are heading out into the city as a pedestrian.  The rise in fatalities from New Haven auto accidents is so concerning that legislators are working on a variety of different laws that aim to curb these deaths, but you can do your part by simply following the safety tips above.

Our experienced attorneys have worked on a variety of situations involving pedestrians and they can help you too.  Contact our office and share with them your situation and they will review the details and work with you on protecting your long-term interests.