Fatal pedestrian accidents have been on the rise both in Georgia and across the country.
Data recently released by the Governor's Highway Safety Administration showed that despite lower traffic due to the Coronavirus, the first half of 2020 alone saw more than 100 pedestrians killed on Georgia roadways.
Gainesville Police Officer Nick Smith said the best way for pedestrians to stay safe is to stay in the designated crosswalks when crossing roads.
"The most dangerous things are when pedestrians cross the roadway in places where it's not safe to do so and there may be traffic," Smith said.
Those same principals, he said, can also be applied to bicyclists.
"It's all about following the uniform rules of the road," Smith said. "Bicyclists stay to the far right of the roadway. If there's a bike lane, they stay in the bike lane, but at this time we don't have a lot of those in the city. With joggers and pedestrians, we do have a lot of sidewalks."
For drivers, Smith said it's important to be aware of your surroundings. He said when approaching a crosswalk, drivers should slow down so they can react in time if a pedestrian tries to make an unsafe crossing.
Pedestrians and cyclists out at dark present additional risks.
"If you're going to be walking or jogging early morning or evening when it's darker, it's always great to have bright colors or reflective material on your clothing or your bicycle," Smith said. "Unfortunately, when those accidents happen, it's typically in lower light conditions."
To hear more from Gainesville Police Officer Nick Smith about pedestrian safety, click play on the video above.
