1. Always Be Aware.
When a pedestrian is aware of their surroundings and the potential dangers within it, they can still have fun talking with their friends, but they are also prepared for anything that may happen because they know ahead of time that there is a chance that it could.

2. Use Sidewalks Of Course.
Pedestrians who make use of sidewalks where available are a great deal safer than those that insist on walking nearer to the roadway, or worse yet on the actual surface of the roadway itself. When sidewalks are not available, then if possible a pedestrian should walk on the left shoulder of the road, facing the oncoming traffic so that the vehicles that will be traveling nearest to them are in their field of vision.

3. That Traffic Signal Is Talking To You.
Everyday there are examples of people who decide to cross a street even though the traffic signal flashes “Do Not Walk”. Often they successfully navigate the street and cross it safely, but there are times where this decision ends up being a life changing one for both them and the unsuspecting driver of a car who has the green light going the other way. In many traffic situations there are blind corners that drivers cannot see around and by the time they see a person walking in the middle of the street it is too late. Crossing a street only when given the go ahead by a traffic signal is a very smart thing to do.

4. Cross The Street Where You’re Supposed To.
Most pedestrians that end up being hit by cars do so because they have attempted to cross the street in a location that they are not supposed to. Drivers are driving their vehicles at a higher rate of speed than pedestrians are walking. Through habit, most drivers are trained to look for pedestrians at marked crosswalks and intersections, when people attempt to cross the street in an unmarked location it can catch the driver by surprise and they may not have enough time to avoid impacting the pedestrian.

5. Use Pedestrian Bridges, That’s Why They’re There.
Millions of dollars are spent all the time around the country analyzing the safety levels of particular sections of roadway. When a section of roadway is found to be so busy that it isn’t safe for pedestrians to cross it at the street level, transportation agencies regularly install pedestrian bridges. For some people to ignore these bridges means that they not only want to risk either injury or their life by crossing a busy road, but they are willing to do it in a location that is one of the most dangerous places available to choose.

6. Drinking While Walking? Not Always Safe.
There is a huge focus on the problem of drunk driving, and rightfully so. To a lesser degree, there is also a problem with people consuming too much alcohol, or other reaction impairing drug, and then walking close to or on busy streets. When a person is impaired to the point that they are confused as to where they are or where they are going and they have trouble walking, they are a danger to themselves and motorists passing nearby. A ride home with a sober friend is one of the better options that a pedestrian under the influence can use.

7. Make Sure Drivers Know You Are There.
A great way that a pedestrian can improve the chances that they will be safe is by making sure that drivers that come near them know that they are there. This can mean wearing bright clothing, making eye contact with a driver when crossing the street in front of them, carrying a flashlight and/or wearing reflective clothing when walking at night, and not attempting to enter the roadway or cross the street at locations where the driver’s view of them may be obstructed.

8. Look Left, Then Right, Then Left Again.
Blindly entering the street to cross it is a recipe for disaster and tragedy. The only way, under any circumstances, that a person should cross the road is by after checking for oncoming traffic in either direction. A simple look to the left, then to the right, then to the left again should be all it takes for a pedestrian to recognize if they are in danger of stepping out in front of an oncoming vehicle.

9. Children Are A Completely Different Story.
Under no circumstances should children be allowed to play near the road. Toys can be thrown or fly into the street, and a child lacking supervision or a reason to worry about anything other than getting their toy back may wander out in front of a speeding car that does not see them. To avoid these kind of tragedies, and many others, a fence or great distance should always separate children at play from the roadway. When walking near a roadway, children should hold the hand of an adult and be warned of the danger that the vehicles passing by can bring to them. Most children lack the ability to judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle or the distance between themselves and that vehicle properly, and for this reason should not be allowed to cross the street by themselves.

Following these simple rules and using a good deal of common sense should be all it takes for pedestrians of all ages to remain safe when they walk near busy roadways. Many people become seriously injured or even die every year because they are involved in a traffic accident even though they were not driving a vehicle. Through the use of common sense and paying attention to their surroundings, the vast majority of these tragedies could have been avoided.

The many causes of road rage:

Personal Relationships
Whether married or not, personal relationships gone sour are just the kind of emotional stress that can push someone over the edge so they become an irate driver.

Bad Day At Work
Professional relationships gone bad are another source of stress for drivers, this can apply directly to road rage as most bad days at work are immediately followed with the worker getting behind the wheel and driving home.

Lack Of Sleep
Exhaustion is a key ingredient in becoming easily frustrated to the point that a response to a bad situation is exagerated and over the top.

Punctuality
Many aggressive drivers and people who drive in a threatening manner are continually running late and feel rushed to get to their location. They see other people on the road as obstacles to them being able to get where they are going.

Climate
Excessive heat or extreme cold can also lead to someone driving aggressively. Often people get frustrated when they are uncomfortable for a significant amount of time and extreme temperature can easily make them uncomfortable.

There are many other issues that also contribute to whether a driver is prone to road rage, but the main cause behind it is stress and frustration. The stress can manifest itself over time and build up to the point where the driver explodes in a fit of rage or it can come on all of a sudden too. The hard part for people who are prone to anger quickly is to recognize the signs and to not take it out on their fellow commuters who share the road with them.

Road rage can easily, and quickly, escalate from a simple hand gesture shown in anger or frustration to vehicular assault. Controlling one’s own emotions so that this doesn’t happen is the best way to avoid falling victim to a person’s own weaknesses towards aggressive driving. The simple reality is that everyone on the road is doing the same thing and going through roughly the same process of getting from point A to point B. If a person approaches their driving from the perspective that every driver should work together to make the traveling process smoother, then they are going to be less likely to have a road rage incident as they will be thinking of their fellow commuters as people that are on their side.

Road rage is dangerous and is responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths every year. Through drivers being both relaxed and realistic when behind the wheel though, most of these problems can be avoided. One key to avoid going over the edge into the world of road rage is to either avoid or eliminate stress, or to be able to keep a stressful situation from affecting the emotional temperament of the driver. It is possible to eliminate and reduce the incidents of road rage, but the drivers who are prone to it need to make an effort in its reduction.

When teenagers pass their driving test, the lessons on being a safe driver should not be discontinued. When teaching teens to be safe drivers after they have their license, there are a number of areas that need to be covered.

Peer Pressure
An important lesson for teens to learn is that they need to not let their friends talk them into doing something behind the wheel that they know they shouldn’t be doing. Peer pressure is one of the toughest things that a young person can come up against. They have to deal with it at school, in fashion, with drinking and drugs, and with driving too. Getting through to a teen and letting them see the big picture of what reckless actions can lead to can be a great way to get them to be strong enough to say no to their friends.

Avoid Traffic Congestion
When a teenager first gets their license, it is best to try and limit their driving to non-congested areas of the roadways. An inexperienced driver can quickly become overwhelmed when surrounded by heavy traffic. This can cause a stressful situation, and even a seasoned driver can feel tense. Even a small mistake in heavy congested traffic can be serious. Allow a teen driver to ease into driving in heavy traffic slowly, this way they can use one experience to build on another and in the end be confident in even the worst of traffic jams.

Traffic Accident Ramifications
One of the best ways to convince teen drivers to be more safe is to not only warn them about the possibility that they may be involved in a traffic accident, but also explain to them what being involved in a traffic accident will mean. It should be explained to them how if the accident is serious enough, it may mean that they no longer have a working vehicle. They need to be shown exactly how a traffic accident will affect their and your insurance rates. Above all, a teenager needs to have it explained to them how a traffic accident can affect both them and their passengers in case of serious injury.

Night Driving
Anything that reduces what a driver can see is a potential hazzard. One of the biggest things that can reduce a driver’s vision is darkness. Having an inexperienced teen driver avoid driving at night when they first get their license is a great way to improve their chances of being a safe driver. Like heavy traffic situations, having a young driver gradually become familiar with driving at night is far preferable to having them drive at night whenever they feel like it.

Instill Confidence
Reassuring a teenage driver when they do things correctly can go a long way in making them feel more confident when behind the wheel. A confident driver is less apprehensive when out on the road. A driver who is not confident, and waits until the last minute or until it is too late to make a crucial decision, may end up not making that decision in time. It is also important that when a teen driver’s actions are wrong that they be corrected but not scolded to the point that they will then be fearful of making any decisions at all.

Awareness Of Surroundings
When first driving, many teenagers pay all of their attention to their own vehicle and the spot where they are on the road. Teaching young drivers to be able to confidently drive their vehicle while using their peripheral vision to watch their immediate surroundings and to also pay attention to what is happening further down the road can give them the tools they need to be ready for anything when it happens.

Driving And Alcohol
One of the most serious things that tends to happen to teen drivers is mixing driving and alcohol. Young drivers need to know the ramifications of drinking and driving. They need to have it explained to them that it can lead to a car accident, an injury, or even death to them, their passengers, or occupants of another vehicle. The effects of drinking and driving could stay with them for the rest of their life.

Once the excitement of getting their driver’s license has passed, most kids really do want to be safe drivers. To a teenager, driving represents their freedom and maturity. It doesn’t take long to realize that the better they drive and the more responsibility they show, then the more freedom they will be able to have. The lessons a parent teaches them about driving will go a long way towards keeping them safe not only while they are teenagers, but for the rest of their lives. Giving the gift of safety and responsibility behind the wheel is one of the best things a parent can do for their child.