Safe Running

January 2010 was a deadly month for pedestrians in Toronto. In the first three weeks of 2010, fourteen pedestrians were killed in the GTA.

People are looking for answers. How can we better control traffic here in the GTA? What should pedestrians be doing or not doing? How can we prevent such tragedies?

Meanwhile, some mathematicians have voiced their opinion (because everyone is always dying to know what the mathematicians think): this cluster of pedestrian deaths is a statistical anomaly. (Actually, the mathematicians used the word "hiccup" rather than "anomaly", presumably to make their math and statistics more accessible to us regular folk.)

Whether an anomaly or not, it is a good time to remind ourselves of some basic traffic safety protocols for runners. The first and most important thing to remember is that cars are bigger than runners. Runners will always come out on the losing end of any collision between them and a vehicle. If you are killed or maimed, it really does not matter that you had the right-of-way at the time of the accident. All of the safety principles flow from this reality.

Here are some basic safety tips to help keep runners safe.

• Be seen. Many of us run at night. Make sure that you wear reflective gear. Consider adding a light to your evening running ensemble. Lights used by cyclists are relatively inexpensive and can be clipped to your water belt, for example.
• Never assume that you have been seen. Don't assume that a driver sees you even if you are lit up like a Christmas tree. Drivers get distracted. Before you cross in front of a vehicle, make eye contact with the driver. If you can't make eye contact, don't risk stepping out in front of a vehicle.
• Better yet, run around behind the car waiting at a stop sign, intersection, etc. Rather than cross in front of a car that is waiting at a stop sign or at a stop light, take the trouble to run around behind the car. It's much harder to hit you if the driver has to put the car in reverse first.
• Check your blind spot. Before you step off the curb, look over your shoulder to make sure that no one is about to turn in front of you. Drivers turning right often miss pedestrians because they typically are looking in the opposite direction of the pedestrian's location to see if they can "safely" make the turn. It's easy to forget to check for a pedestrian coming from the other way.
• Watch for drivers turning left. Drivers turning left are often more concerned about finding that magic break in the traffic that will allow them to make their turn. Sometimes pedestrians are not immediately visible because of the passing traffic. In the hurry to cut across the intersection, these drivers can be surprised to find a runner in their path. Check your blind spot--uh, your other blind spot--to check for drivers turning left. And never assume that the drivers see you!
• Turn the music down. Most of us like to listen to music while we run. If you are going to wear your iPod/MP3 player whilst running, you have a responsibility to keep the volume low enough that you can still be aware of your surroundings. You should also be extra cautious since you are limiting the use of one of your key senses that would otherwise give you advance warning of approaching vehicles.
  
• Pay attention! Sometimes it is not music that blocks out other noise. Sometimes, it's the company we keep. Running in groups is wonderful. But don't let your engrossing conversations distract you from what is going on around you on the roads. Watch out for yourself and watch out for your buddies.
• Don't run on the street, but if you must run on the street, FACE traffic. I know, I know. Concrete sidewalks are hard on the knees and asphalt roads are a good alternative. (So are trails, by the way. But realistically, it is not possible to run on trails all year round here in Canada.) Admittedly, we all like to run on the roads. Just remember that when you run on the roads, you should run facing traffic. You want to be able to see what is coming at you. Unless you have eyes on the back of your head, you have to run against traffic to be able to see what is coming down the road. Don't rely on your sense of hearing alone to warn you of approaching vehicles...and don't assume that drivers will see you and avoid you. By the way, if you are on a bike, you should travel in the same direction as traffic, not against it as you would do as a runner. Obey the rules of the road because you are on a vehicle!
• Red means stop; green means go. Obey traffic signals and other rules of the road. (Admittedly, I take liberties with this principle, but I shouldn't.) It is easier to stay safe when you are following the rules.
• Leave room for cars to stop. A vehicle may see you and may try to stop, but don't assume that the vehicle can stop in time or come to a controlled stop, especially in wet (rain, snow, sleet, ice, and all the other goodies we get here in Canada) conditions.
  
• Moral victories can still leave you dead. Sure you have the right of way. But the right of way does you little good when it is you (lean runner) versus vehicle (several hundred pounds of metal in motion). As a runner, you want to avoid being dead right, at least while you are out on the roads.
  

Safety for runners is a partnership. Runners, we have to do our part to be safe. Drivers (including runners who are drivers), please consider the following tips when you are out on the road.

• Watch those right turns! It's easy to forget to take a good look in both directions when turning right. We look to the left because that is where the traffic comes from. It's easy to forget to check the right side and our blind spots before making that turn. Slow it down and do more than glance. Make sure no one is about to run or walk into your path!
• Watch those left turns! Pedestrians may not be immediately visible due to passing traffic. Don't just wait for a break in vehicular traffic. Observe pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk, too. It will help you anticipate whether someone might be crossing the road just as you are about to turn left.
• Anticipate. If you drive past a runner shortly before you have to slow down due to traffic or a red light, it is likely that that same runner will pass by you again. (In rush hour, it is often faster to run or to walk than to drive!) Take note of pedestrians you pass and watch out for them at near-by lights and when turning. They'll be there. Anticipate it. By the way, this is also very true of cyclists. If you pass a cyclist, chances are that the cyclist will pass you the next time you have to slow down for a light. Do the cyclist a big favour and do not hug the curb if you are in the right-hand lane. Create a clear path for the cyclist. The cyclist will love you for it.
• Green means go; red means stop. Seriously. I have noticed an increase in the number of cars I see going through red lights. It bugs me. Pay attention to the traffic signals. Red means stop, even for you. In fact, amber also means stop--even for you.
  
• Make eye contact with pedestrians. Don't assume that pedestrians will get out of your way. Don't assume that all pedestrians pay attention to what is happening around them. Before you pull out in front of someone, make eye contact. Do they know that you are assuming that they are stopping? Even if you have the right of way, you still may end up killing or maiming someone, and that is not something that you want to carry with you for the rest of your life.
• Pay attention! Life is busy. We all get that. But when you get behind the wheel of several hundred pounds of metal and put that beast on the public roadways, we all need you to pay attention. Look around you and be aware. That little flash you see up ahead? It's the reflective piping on a runner's jacket. Not just any runner. A runner who is a mom, a wife, a sister, and a daughter. See that ball that is lying in the middle of this quiet residential street? Well, there is a very good chance that there will be a kid coming after that ball in very short order. Look for that kid because he might not be looking for you. You know that guy you passed thirty seconds ago, just before you slowed down for that light up ahead? He is about to run by your car again. So before you turn right, make sure you check to see where he is. After all, he is training for his first marathon and he hopes to run it with his dad. I know that you may have had a rough day or maybe you are late for an important meeting. But please remember that first and most basic principle of road safety: cars are bigger than runners/pedestrians. If you are driving a car, you have a responsibility to take extra care to ensure everyone's safety. Let's face it: collisions between vehicles and pedestrians never end well for anyone.