With fall semester classes in session, more students and employees are walking to, from and across campus.
John Lambeth, manager of industrial hygiene and occupational safety in UGA’s Environmental Safety Division, offers the following suggestions to increase the safety of foot-powered travelers:
• Always walk facing traffic if there are no sidewalks available. Many of the neighborhoods around the campus have sidewalks on one side of the street. Take advantage of them and do not walk on the opposite side of the street, even it appears more convenient to not have to cross the street.
• Wear clothes that drivers can see, especially at night. Wear bright or reflective clothes if walking is necessary at night.
• Wear comfortable shoes with good soles. Smooth soles or shoes with small heels can cause slips or falls.
• Use crosswalks and obey traffic signals. Walkers should remove their headphones or ear buds when crossing streets.
• Look for oncoming traffic if you are walking around the front of a bus. Many drivers will not be expecting a pedestrian to step in front of a bus. This is especially true on Carlton Street at the bus stop near Aderhold and in front of Peabody Hall on Jackson Street.
Being alert and prepared can help ensure walkers safely get where they are going.
Source: Environmental Safety Division