As we gear up for spring, let's all be aware of others when we are using our roads, paths, and sidewalks. Lebanon's Pedestrian Bicyclist Advisory Committee recently completed its annual analysis of the prior year's crash data, and the total number of crashes increased (from 7 to 8) from 2020 to 2021. The two riskiest places for pedestrians are parking lots (43% of crashes reported from 2006-2021) and crosswalks (36%). The full annual analysis report is available here.
Some common-sense actions to take, informed by our data, are:
- Wear light-colored and reflective clothing when walking/biking at dusk or dark, and preferably also carry a light
- Pedestrians - stop and check before moving into a roadway, even at a crosswalk, and before crossing to make sure that a motor vehicle driver has seen you and is stopping
- Drivers need to follow the speed limit (25 mph on most city streets), be vigilant for pedestrians and bicyclists, and be ready to stop when approaching crosswalks and in parking lots
As the weather gets nicer, we will have more people walking and biking on streets that are still blocked by ice, water, and debris. Shoulder/bike lane markings and crosswalks are also more difficult to see due to paint fading at this time of year. No matter your mode of transportation, scan the area around you, anticipate the unexpected, and always be ready to stop on short notice.