In 2008, there were 34 pedestrian fatalities and 1,260 injuries on Alberta roads. These tragedies can be completely prevented if pedestrians and drivers follow these simple tips:

Tips for Pedestrians:

• Always use crosswalks and pedestrian-activated signals when they are available and cross only at intersections if they are not.

• Never jaywalk. Drivers are not anticipating pedestrians crossing in the middle of the street so they may not have enough time to avoid hitting you.

• Wear bright reflective clothing at night, in the evening and in the early morning hours.

• Walk on the sidewalk. If there are no sidewalks, walk off the road facing traffic.

• Watch for cyclists and vehicles backing up in driveways or parking lots.

• When crossing driveways and alleys, always look left and right just as you would when crossing a street.

• When crossing a street, walk, don’t run. This will allow drivers more time to see and come to a safe stop.

• Use the POINT, PAUSE and PROCEED pedestrian safety method for crossing the street: Look all four ways: left, right, ahead and then behind.

Watch for vehicles turning right on a red light. They may not be looking for you.

Most pedestrians overestimate the distance at which drivers can see them. Alcohol can limit your ability to judge situations - even as a pedestrian.

POINT across the road with your arm to indicate to drivers you want to cross.

PAUSE until all vehicles are stopped. Assume drivers don’t see you and never step out into traffic until you have made eye contact with drivers and you are certain they will stop. When you step off the curb in front of a vehicle that has stopped to let you cross, don’t proceed until you have checked the traffic in all other lanes. Drivers may not realize other vehicles have stopped for pedestrians.

PROCEED with your arm extended, when all vehicles have stopped. Keep scanning both sides of the road as you cross. Stop in the middle of the crosswalk if you have to and make sure all oncoming vehicles intend to stop.

Don’t let children run out ahead of you. Children are less visible than adults and children cannot always exercise good judgment about safety - so stay close enough to pull them to safety.

Watch for vehicles turning right on a red light. They may not be looking for you.

Most pedestrians overestimate the distance at which drivers can see them. Alcohol can limit your ability to judge situations - even as a pedestrian.

POINT across the road with your arm to indicate to drivers you want to cross.

PAUSE until all vehicles are stopped. Assume drivers don’t see you and never step out into traffic until you have made eye contact with drivers and you are certain they will stop. When you step off the curb in front of a vehicle that has stopped to let you cross, don’t proceed until you have checked the traffic in all other lanes. Drivers may not realize other vehicles have stopped for pedestrians.

PROCEED with your arm extended, when all vehicles have stopped. Keep scanning both sides of the road as you cross. Stop in the middle of the crosswalk if you have to and make sure all oncoming vehicles intend to stop.

Don’t let children run out ahead of you. Children are less visible than adults and children cannot always exercise good judgment about safety - so stay close enough to pull them to safety.

Tips for Drivers:

• When you are in a busy area such as main intersections, schools and playground zones, anticipate someone crossing the street and slow down. Decreasing your speed by a few kilometres per hour will give you more time to stop.

• Make sure your lights and windshield are clean.

• Be aware of what other motorists are doing around you. If you are unsure why a vehi­cle has stopped, use caution, slow down and be prepared to stop in case the vehicle is stopped for a pedestrian.

• When stopping for a pedestrian, don’t block the crosswalk. If you pull right up to the painted crosswalk lines, your vehicle may obscure the view of other drivers who then may not realize someone is crossing. Wait until the pedestrian has completely cleared the adjacent lanes before proceeding. By waiting, you alert other drivers that there is someone crossing the street. A hand signal (left arm extended out the window and straight down) can help draw attention to the situation. If you notice vehicles approaching the intersection quickly, flash your brake lights a few times or honk your horn. This may alert the driver as well as the pedestrian.

• Be aware of left turns. When waiting to turn left at an intersection, be especially aware of pedestrians crossing the street to your left. Turning left across the oncoming traffic is tricky as you may be concentrating on the approaching traffic and fail to notice the pedestrians crossing. When you spot a gap in traffic, make sure nobody is in the crosswalk before you make your turn.

• Watch out for jaywalkers. Although drivers have the right of way over jaywalkers, in the event of a collision no one wins.

Facts:

• Pedestrian casualty collisions were more likely to occur in November. April experienced the least number of pedestrian crashes.

• Pedestrian casualty collisions were most likely to occur on Friday and least likely to occur on Sunday.

• Pedestrian casualty collisions were most likely to occur during the evening rush-hour period (3:00-6:59 p.m.).

• 41.0% of the drivers in collisions involving a pedestrian were recorded as failing to yield the right of way to the pedestrian.

• The casualty rate per population was highest for pedestrians between the ages of 15 and 19.

• Of pedestrians involved in injury collisions, 14.0% had consumed alcohol before the collision, compared to 50.0% involved in fatal collisions.

• Of those pedestrians who had consumed alcohol prior to the collision, the highest rate of involvement per 10,000 population was for pedestrians 20-24 years of age.

Last Updated August 10, 2009