Street Smarts for Senior Pedestrians

If the answer to living a long life could be found by simply walking around the block, would you do it?

It may not be quite that easy, but maintaining a physically active lifestyle has been proven to help people remain healthy, live longer, and feel better.  Daily walking is among the best ways for senior citizens to keep active. It's easy, inexpensive, and almost anyone can do it.

But as simple as walking is, it can be very dangerous for a senior. Persons age 65 and over make up 13 percent of the population, but account for 23 percent of all pedestrian fatalities. That means seniors are almost twice as likely to be killed by a motor vehicle as other people are.

Risk Factors Increase
As people age, many inevitable physical changes occur that make it difficult for them to be safe when walking around:

• Eyesight and hearing often worsen, which can make it difficult to see cars and tell how fast they are going. Peripheral vision (what you can see out of the corners of your eyes) also diminishes.
• Reflexes and reaction time get slower, and the ability to move quickly, stop abruptly, or maneuver around decreases.
• Falls are more likely to occur, and getting up requires assistance at times.
• Some medications make it difficult to walk.

So, it is important to consider these factors as you walk:

• Walk on sidewalks. If you must walk on a road with no sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
• Cross only at street corners, preferably those with a traffic light, and within marked crosswalks.
• Wear bright-colored or reflective clothing, especially if you have to walk at night.
• Avoid walking in the dark and during bad weather such as snow, rain, ice, or fog.
• Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street, and be on the lookout for turning or backing vehicles.
• Make eye contact with the driver before crossing in front of a vehicle. Stay out of the driver's blind spot.
• Learn the proper use of "Walk/Don't Walk" signals.
• Walk and cross with other pedestrians whenever possible.
• Wear proper and well-maintained footwear

Drivers also have an obligation to operate their vehicles safely, and should be particularly careful in areas with a high volume of senior pedestrians. Remember, pedestrians at intersections always have the right of way.

In addition, cities and towns can make improvements to ensure the safety of senior pedestrians, many of whom walk because they no longer drive. These include adding sidewalks and off-road pathways; lengthening "Walk" signals in areas where older people live and walk; reducing the crossing distance by using raised medians and curb extensions; and requiring sidewalks be kept free of clutter, snow, and ice.