10 Ways To Stay Safe While Running

As the weather warms up, more people are breaking out their running shoes to go for a run outside. While running is a great way to exercise, you need to be careful. You always need to be aware of your surroundings because pedestrian accidents in Kentucky are common. In fact, Louisville was the 17th most deadly city for pedestrian accidents in the U.S. As far as Kentucky goes, almost two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities occurred on urban roadways. Out of those, over 75% occurred at non-intersections and around 40% occurred at roadways without crosswalks.

Related: Louisville, KY – 17th Most Dangerous City for Pedestrians

Running safety tips
Running is supposed to be fun, and it’s a great way to burn calories. However, a fun run can turn into a disaster quickly. If you are going for a run on the road, here are a few tips to keep you safe:

1. NEVER assume the driver can see you.
2. Run against traffic so you can see and react to situations that may occur.
3. At a stop sign or stoplight, wait for the driver to wave you through then acknowledge the driver with a wave.
4. Be prepared to jump on the sidewalk or shoulder of the road in case a vehicle doesn’t see or acknowledge you.
5. Use hand signals to show which way you are turning.
6. Familiarize yourself with Kentucky laws of the road.
7. Look for people pulling out of driveways because they may not see you.
8. Always wear bright colored clothing. The brighter, the better.
9. If you run with headphones, make sure you are still able to hear what is going on around you.
10. At an intersection, always wait and look for vehicles coming from multiple directions and lanes before crossing.

Runners and drivers need to lookout for each other
It’s both the runner and the driver’s responsibility to be aware of their surroundings. For runners, if you are running through an area that you know is busy with cars, please use caution. If you follow the ten safety tips above, it will help keep you safe. For drivers, please always be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially in cities and neighborhoods. While pedestrians should cross the road at cross walks and when the sign tells them it walk, that’s unfortunately not always the case. People and runners can go out into the street at any moment, so please use caution.

Related: Are Pedestrian Accidents On the Raise? Not in Lexington in 2014

With all that said, go enjoy your run. Louisville has many beautiful areas. Just remember to be careful when running on roads and through intersections. By being careful, you will help keep yourself happy and healthy.