This week, Runners’ World reported about a young athlete who was running in the early morning, and was killed when he stepped in front of a snow plow. The runner was wearing headphones, was not wearing any reflective clothing and was running in the same direction as traffic.

Because of the reactions to this story, I thought it was a good time to remind you about safety when walking in the dark.

Be Careful Where You Walk

First, be careful where you walk. If you must walk in the street, walk facing traffic so you can see cars coming toward you. If you can walk on sidewalks or bike trails, be careful at intersections. If you walk alone, choose well lighted areas, or routes where there are plenty of people.

Wear Light-Colored Clothing

It’s not just black that makes you hard to see, navy blue, purple, dark green… My coat is dark purple, and all of my long pants are black, but I try to wear a white hat when I can.

Be Reflective

If your winter attire is also dark colored, wear reflective clothing. Many athletic shoes have reflective spots, but that is not enough. Even if your jacket or pants have a reflective feature, be sure to wear a vest or some other safety garment. I recently saw reflective cuffs to wear around the biceps, reflective hats and even suspender-like straps to wear over a jacket instead of a complete vest.

Wear Lights

A headlamp not only lets me see uneven terrain, but it also makes me more visible to vehicles. If you do not have access to sidewalks, a flashing red or yellow light on your back will also make you much more visible! Don’t forget to walk facing traffic!

Listen to Your Surroundings

Keep your ears open. Though I always have an audiobook on my cellphone, I use just one earbud. This combined with a reasonable volume allows me to stay aware of my surroundings including traffic or other pedestrians.

Where are You?

Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. If you live alone, this can be a little more challenging. If you know your neighbors well enough, let one of them know your plans, then check back in when you return home. If that won’t work, I have been known to call friends to let them know where I’m walking, and call again when I’m home. Anyone who supports your healthy lifestyle should be willing to do this for you.

Carry Your Phone

A few friends complain about the added weight, but how heavy is a phone, really. As one walker said to me, “What would you do if you were out on a bike trail and one of our friends had a heart attack or fell and broke a leg?” And if you are alone, it’s even more important to carry a phone.

Though a lot of this is common sense, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded.

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