All too often, joggers, cyclists and pedestrians are injured or killed by motorists. And sadly, many factors can contribute to this reality.
Here are 9 Road safety tips for joggers:
1. Be visible. Wear high-visibility, bright clothing. A reflective jacket is inexpensive and could save your life.
2. Face the right direction. Face traffic to give yourself adequate reaction time to oncoming cars while also increasing visibility.
3. Be flexible. Be prepared not to run on the tarmac, particularly when the road narrows or traffic gets heavy.
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4. Turn down the music. While running with your music on can be helpful, it can also put you in danger as the headphones will limit your ability to hear approaching cars, particularly those travelling at high speed. So, turn down the volume and only wear one earbud. This ensures that you get the benefit of your music while also more likely to hear what is happening around you.
5. Be alert. Watch out for motorists, especially in the early hours of the morning, who could be coming back from partying, intoxicated or simply tired. This also applies to motorists in the evening who could be intoxicated or tired.
6. Be careful. Be extra vigilant when approaching or passing driveways, parking lots, bars and bushy areas. As a runner, you need to look out for both vehicles and opportunistic criminals.
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7. Think ahead. When running uphill or around a bend, assume that there will be a car approaching you and immediately move off the tarmac in preparation for traffic. Only once you have reached the top or are around the bend should you rejoin the tarmac if it is safe to do so.
8. Give way. Give way to cars unless the motorist indicates that they are giving way to you. This is especially important at a junction or traffic light. And, remember to acknowledge the motorist with a friendly wave when they give you the way.
9. Stay safe. If you run solo, take extra care by carrying a pepper spray. Hopefully, you won’t have to use it. But, rather be safe than sorry!
