Pedestrian safety is an issue that is very close to me.  My sister sustained serious injuries as the victim of a pedestrian accident in 2000. Since then, I have been far more cognizant of crosswalk rules and pedestrian safety.

Pedestrians and vehicles must share the road, sometimes without success. It’s not uncommon to see near-accidents and close calls almost daily.

We’ve all heard the war-cry that “Pedestrians have the right of way”. Well, this isn’t always the case. And even when it is, people still need to walk with care and pay attention to traffic.

Both sides can be at fault. Pedestrians cross when and where they shouldn’t, or don’t pay sufficient attention. Drivers often don’t recognize pedestrians’ rights and drive aggressively.

Often I see pedestrians who don’t use crosswalks. It frightens me every time I see people walk into the street, outside of a crosswalk, oblivious to oncoming traffic because they are talking on their cell phone or listening to their I-Pod and have not bothered to see if the coast was clear. It’s even more risky when pedestrians dart into the street from between two parked cars. They are often not seen until they are several feet from the sidewalk.

Still other people walk quickly into a crosswalk and expect that vehicular traffic will spot them, brake in time and let them pass. Even if you have the right of way, it’s very important to make sure there’s no car or truck barreling down on you. Being in the right legally means little if it causes you injury.

Pedestrians and drivers alike must take ownership of their safety. Here are a few rules of crosswalk etiquette for drivers and walkers:

Pedestrians must always follow the “walk/don’t walk” signs. Do not stop the flow of traffic in order to cross the street. The law is not on your side here, you don’t have the right of way.

When crossing, ensure that the driver of an oncoming vehicle sees you and can stop safely. Make eye contact with the driver to confirm that you’ve been seen. Be particularly vigilant when visibility is poor, even on very sunny days. Solar glare can often blind drivers suddenly and completely.

And drivers, let’s all try to be more patient. Pedestrians suffer the most physical injury in a collision. If a walker is slower than others and doesn’t make it across the street in time for the light to change, realize that the time it takes them to cross might eclipse the time they are given.