MD State Police Gives Safety Reminders For Pedestrians, Motorists

The Maryland State Police has investigated at least four fatal pedestrian crashes this October alone, two of them in Cecil County within a 10 day period. With this they have released information urging both motorists and pedestrians to use common sense, take responsibility and be more courteous on the roadways.

Here are some tips for both motorists and pedestrians to help reduce the chances of fatalities on Maryland roads:

Safety Tips for Drivers

– Look for pedestrians walking along the roadway and at crossings and intersections.
– Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks as required by Maryland law.
– Be careful passing stopped vehicles. If a car is stopped at a marked crosswalk, stop and look for crossing pedestrians as required by Maryland law.
– Slow down and obey the posted speed limit.
– Yield to pedestrians when turning.
– Use extra caution at night when it may be harder to see pedestrians attempting to cross the road.

Safety Tips for Pedestrians

– Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the side of the road facing traffic.
– Cross the street at marked crosswalks and at intersections. Many pedestrian crashes occur at midblock locations where drivers do not expect pedestrians.
– Obey traffic signals, including pedestrian signals.
– Before crossing, look left, right and left again to make sure you can cross safely.
– Look before stepping past stopped vehicles. They may be blocking your view of moving traffic.
– Stay visible after dark and in bad weather. Help drivers see you by wearing retro-reflective material in low lighting conditions. This includes those wearing costumes while trick-or-treating.
– Use caution around any vehicle backing out of parking spaces and driveways.

Between 2013 and 2017, an average of 111 pedestrians were killed and 3,058 were injured annually in pedestrian-related crashes in Maryland, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Highway Safety Office. Nationally, there were 5,987 pedestrian fatalities reported in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This figure highlights a trend of increases nationally, as there were 4,779 pedestrian crashes reported in 2013, followed by 4,910 in 2014 and 5,495 in 2015, according to the NHTSA.

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