Slow down, look out for people walking

Published on September 12, 2022

September is Pedestrian Safety Month and the City of Menlo Park will participate in activities throughout the month to encourage the safety of people walking.

Based on data projections from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,485 people, or an average of 20 people every day, died after being struck by a vehicle last year – an 11.5% increase from 2020 and a 40-year high.

Safety is a two-way street. Drivers and pedestrians must work together to demonstrate safe behaviors on the road, helping to protect themselves and those around them. We have some safety tips to help make the roads safe for everyone in our community.

For pedestrians:

• Make yourself visible by wearing light colored clothes made of reflective materials and using a flashlight when walking at night
• Make eye contact with drivers; do not assume that they can see you
• Stay off your phone
• Use signaled crosswalks, obey traffic signals and watch for turning vehicles
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street

For drivers:

• Slowdown in streets with lots of pedestrian traffic (schools, downtown)
• Pedestrians have the right of way at ANY crosswalk or intersection, so yield and be prepared to stop
• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn
• Stay off your phone and never drive impaired

The Safe Routes to School Program offers many resources to teach and promote pedestrian safety.