Pedestrian Safety
Texting, talking on the phone and listening to music while walking puts your safety at risk, especially when you're crossing the street. Drivers take risks and can get distracted behind the wheel. You must be vigilant and always look before you walk, even if you have the right of way.
Reports have shown that 60% of pedestrian fatalities between 2004 and 2008, resulted from a pedestrian being fatally injured at night or in dim lighting conditions when drivers did not see them (Transport Canada, 2011). Pedestrian injury is also a leading cause of injury-related death to Canadian children (Safe Kids Canada, 2008).
Visit the Ontario Ministry of Transportation for more information about pedestrian safety.
It’s up to drivers and pedestrians to keep everyone safe on the roads. As a pedestrian, do your part. Make sure to cross the street in marked crosswalks or at traffic lights, as drivers may not see you in time if you cross in the middle of street (especially if you step out from between parked cars).
Be seen
Do not assume that drivers see you. You should make eye contact before you step in front of them. Remember that just because one driver lets you cross it does not guarantee that the other drivers in the intersection have seen you start walking across the street. If you’re out for a walk or run, consider wearing bright and/or reflective clothing, especially at dusk or dark.
Be careful in bad weather
In the worst weather (especially during our Canadian winters), you need to pay extra attention to the drivers as a pedestrian. Drivers cannot stop as quickly, so stay on the curb until they have come to a complete stop.
For parents
Make sure to show your children how to cross a road safely and to take extra care on roadways that have no curbs.
You should teach children how to:
- Stay to the side of the road, walking as far away from traffic as they safely can
- Stop at the edge of the sidewalk, and look both ways before crossing the road even on a one-way streets
- Watch out for blind corners (for example, a car coming out of an alley may not see a child about to cross).