TRAFFIC: How to cross the road

Amusing though the headline for this article may sound to many, who believe that crossing the road is as easy as ABC, if one were to go by the statistics of fatalities involving road-crossing pedestrians they would be in for a shock.

Crossing the road, especially a busy highway, demands a lot of attention. And some mental preparation. For starters one should choose to cross the road only at zebra crossings or red signals. But there are occasions and stretches of road when that may not be possible. And that’s where skill and attention come into play.

1.  While waiting to cross the road, stand on the kerb if there is one. If there is no kerb then stand a a few steps away from the road.

2.  Look carefully in both directions before you start to cross to ensure there is no vehicle close to you and the ones in the distance would not be able to reach you by the time you cross.

3.  Do not cross at a bend of the road since you may not see the oncoming vehicles until they have reached dangerously close to you.

4.  It is noticed that people generally, for some inexplicable reason, tend to cross the road diagonally. No one knows why. Cross the road straight to the other side.

5.  Where there is a metal or concrete barrier dividing the roads, ensure that you cross near the point where there is a gap in it. Do not jump over the barrier. It is ungentlemanly behaviour and is also dangerous in case you fall over the other side or part of your clothing gets stuck in metal bars.

6.  If there are vehicles parked along the kerb, go beyond the vehicles and stand and wait with back to the, so you have a clear view of the road.

7.  While waiting, do not stand behind or in front of a vehicle which has its engine running.

8.  When you get down from a bus, if you have to go across the road do not walk in front of the vehicle. In fact, if you are too close to its front as you cross, the driver may not even see you and you will face the danger of being mowed down. 

9.  For the same reason, do not walk too closely to the back of a bus or any other large vehicle either. If the driver decides to reverse a little to manoeuvre his vehicle you may be hit.

10.  Never allow children to cross the road alone. They do not have a sense of judging the speed of a vehicle and may be hurt.

11.  When walking across a signal crossing, even if the signal is red keep an eye on the intentions of the vehicles. Some drivers tend to speed across as soon as the signal turns green and if you are halfway through the crossing by that time you may have to hurry up. 

12.  When crossing the road at night, especially on a poorly lit or unlit road, also keep your ears pricked for the sound of a vehicle – just in case a vehicle were to approach you with headlights not switched on.