As daylight-saving time fades into the early evening sunset, now is the time to find ways to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you with a few simple steps to Be Seen and Be Safe. Fewer hours of daylight means more time traveling by foot, bike or car in the dark. Consider how visible you and your family are when biking and walking; and when driving be especially alert and keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians and cyclists at night.
Oregon Department of Transportation statistics show that of the 60 pedestrian killed in motor vehicle crashes last year, 23 pedestrians were not visible. While other variables, like drivers under the influence or non-alert drivers, likely were contributors to these crashes, being visible is one thing we can do.
Here are some tips to brighten your night:
- Be reflective. Drivers can see bicyclists and pedestrians from farther away when they shine. For example, you are first visible to a driver from 500 feet away when you are wearing reflective clothing. Compare this to just 55 feet away when wearing dark colors.
- Add more shine. Wear shoes, backpacks, jackets and other clothing with reflective materials. Do it yourself by adding inexpensive reflective tape strips to your shoes, backpack, purse, bike wheel spokes, jacket sleeves, pant legs—really, anywhere and everywhere! Reflective vests and hats are great as well.
- Use lights freely. Headlights, armbands with lights, leg bands with blinking lights, small blinking lights on your coat, purse or backpack… All of these items can help you be seen while biking or walking.
TriMet and Be Seen Be Safe partners are hitting the streets again to spread the word about being visible this month. Daylight-saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 3, and shiny street teams will be out in force during the week of Nov. 4-8, at transit centers and other locations, and even hopping on buses handing out safety information and clip-on blinking lights.