How Walking for Fitness Can Turn Dangerous: Staying Safe as a Pedestrian

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How Walking for Fitness Can Turn Dangerous: Staying Safe as a Pedestrian

Walking for fitness should be one of the safest ways to stay healthy. You don’t need to spend money on a gym membership or special equipment. Just lace up your sneakers and go for a walk.

But walking isn’t as safe as it used to be.

Pedestrian deaths have increased each year for the past decade. In fact, they’ve skyrocketed by 48% over the last decade per data from the Governors Highway Safety Association. If you’re like most fitness walkers, you haven’t focused too much on this rising trend. But it’s time to start paying attention.

Sadly, when driver negligence causes a deadly pedestrian accident, families are often left wondering what to do next. While wrongful death claims exist to help hold reckless drivers accountable, the legal process can be overwhelming — especially after losing a loved one. This is where a pedestrian injury lawyer can help. Here’s how wrongful death claims can help families affected by pedestrian accidents, as well as what you can do to prevent one from happening to you.

Most pedestrian accidents are preventable. But understanding the causes and knowing how to reduce your risk is key.

What you’re going to learn:

• Why Walking for Fitness Isn’t As Safe As It Used To Be
• Dangerous Situations for Pedestrians in 2024
• Tips to Prevent Pedestrian Accidents When Walking for Fitness
• How to Handle Yourself After a Pedestrian Accident Occurs

Why Walking for Fitness Isn’t As Safe As It Used To Be

Drivers killed 7,148 pedestrians in 2024 alone. While that number has gone down slightly over previous years, that’s still almost 20% higher than it was back in 2016.

More people are walking for exercise than ever before. But the roads haven’t changed.

Think about your own neighborhood. More pedestrians means more potential for accidents. But what about distracted drivers? Larger vehicles dominating the roads? Poor city lighting? All of these factors create a dangerous environment for fitness walkers. And it’s only getting worse.

Take visibility for example. Over 75% of pedestrian deaths happened after dark between 2010 and 2023. Fatal crashes after dark increased by 84% during that time frame.

Drivers just don’t see pedestrians. And if you’re like most people that go walking for fitness, you don’t exactly walk during optimal conditions. Morning walks. Evening walks. Nighttime walks. Dark equals dangerous when you’re a pedestrian.

Dangerous Situations for Pedestrians in 2024

Now it’s time to really dive into the dangers pedestrians face on a daily basis. These are things you need to know to protect yourself.

Distracted Driving

Driving while distracted is a HUGE problem. As already mentioned, drivers can miss seeing a pedestrian entirely. Now imagine how easy it is to not see a pedestrian when you’re texting, scrolling on social media or inputting your destination into a GPS.

Drivers can travel the length of a football field WITHOUT LOOKING FORWARD in just a few seconds. And most pedestrian accidents happen right where you’d expect: in urban areas.

Missing Sidewalks and Crosswalks

In 2023, nearly two-thirds of all pedestrian deaths occurred where there was no sidewalk on the roadway. Translation? More people are walking, but there aren’t sidewalks or places for pedestrians to safely cross the road.

Drivers hit pedestrians when they’re sharing the same space. But every year, more and more walkers are forced to put themselves in harm’s way simply because their neighborhood lacks the proper infrastructure. Walking without sidewalks is basically walking blind.

Larger Vehicles Hitting Pedestrians

Remember how more people are walking than ever? Well, more drivers are hitting pedestrians with SUVs and trucks than ever before too.

Vehicle size matters. Larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks cause far more serious injuries to pedestrians than regular passenger cars. Here’s how the numbers break down:

• Light trucks accounted for 54% of pedestrian fatalities where vehicle type was known in 2023
• Passenger cars only accounted for 37% of pedestrian fatalities

SUVs and trucks used to only account for half of the pedestrian fatalities they do today back in 2013.

Hit-and-Run Accidents

Hit-and-runs are unfortunately common in pedestrian fatalities. That means the driver who struck the pedestrian didn’t stay at the scene to provide aid or contact authorities. Instead, they drove off, leaving the victim to whatever lay ahead.

One in four pedestrians killed in an accident were victims of a hit-and-run.

Tips to Prevent Pedestrian Accidents When Walking for Fitness

It’s not all bad news. Luckily there are tons of precautions you can take to protect yourself from becoming a statistic. Follow these tips next time you go for a walk and you’ll be sure to stay safe.

Avoid Walking at Night

This point cannot be stressed enough. STAY OUT OF THE DARK, PEDESTRIANS.

If you’re going for a walk, do it when the sun is out. Sure, you can walk at night as long as you take the proper precautions. But that’s a lot of work. Walk during the day and you won’t have to worry about it.

Pick Routes With Sidewalks

Stick to walking routes that have sidewalks. Sure, they may be longer. Sure, it might be more convenient to cut through that street without a sidewalk. But do you really want to gamble with your life by sharing the road with drivers?

Before you pick your route, look for these things:

• Sidewalks on both sides of the street
• Crosswalks at intersections
• Proper lighting
• Lower speed limit

Keep Your Headphones At Home

It’s so nice to listen to your favorite podcast or jam out to music while walking. But when you’ve got headphones in, you can’t hear what’s going on around you.

Eliminate distractions by leaving the headphones at home. Or at least keep the volume low enough that you can hear an oncoming vehicle.

Walk Against Traffic

This goes back to the previous point about walking without sidewalks. If you have to walk without a sidewalk, make sure you’re facing oncoming traffic.

That way, you’ll always know when a car is coming your way.

Wear Bright Clothing

You know those reflective outfits people wear? They’re not just for the gymnosporum volleyball team. Wear bright clothing whenever you head out for a walk (day or night).

That also means driving like you’d expect to see a pedestrian around every corner. Obey the speed limits and always be cognizant that pedestrians could be sharing the road with you.

Keep Your Family Safe After a Pedestrian Accident

Sadly, accidents will happen. But knowing what to do if you’re involved in a pedestrian accident can make all the difference in the world.

First and foremost, seek medical attention. These accidents can be fatal, so get the help you need first and then worry about little things like insurance claims and car repairs.

From there, take as many pictures as you can. Pictures of the scene, your injuries, the other driver’s car. You name it. Just make sure you have solid proof before the insurance companies try to get out of paying what’s owed.

Finally, talk to a pedestrian accident attorney. As already mentioned, wrongful death claims from pedestrian accidents can be tricky. Having someone on your side that knows what they’re doing can help you receive the compensation you deserve to help you move on.

Final Thoughts

Walking for fitness is an amazing way to stay in shape. But with so many unsafe drivers on the road, it’s important to be cautious when walking.

From distracted drivers to SUVs knocking down walkers, there are tons of risks that could happen to you or a loved one. But by following these safety tips, you can greatly decrease your chances of becoming a pedestrian accident statistic.

Just remember:

1. Walk during the day time.
2. Always use sidewalks when they’re available.
3. Pay attention to your surroundings.
4. Know your legal options if an accident occurs.

With that being said, happy (safe) walking!