Carson City Sheriff’s Office reminds pedestrians to stay safe at night

When the weather turns warm and the nights are not too cold, many people like to walk around Carson City and enjoy the night air and the view of the stars in the sky. This of course increases the number of pedestrians at night that will be crossing the streets and using the sidewalks.

It is also true that not all of you will use the crosswalks and sidewalks provided, and may cross the roadways where you should not or walk alongside the curb in the street. This creates a potential for a vehicle versus pedestrian crash.

When you make the decision to cross where you should not, you take a risk of being struck by a vehicle as the driver is not expecting you to be in the roadway. The same goes for walking next to the curb. Most drivers would expect you to be on the sidewalk and not alongside the roadway.

The injuries that you can receive when struck by a 2,000 pound or more moving object can be severe, if not fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,743 pedestrians were killed in the United States in 2013. In Nevada, 72 pedestrians were killed in 2014.

Although these were not all nighttime related deaths, it is more difficult to be seen at night, especially if you are wearing dark clothing or are taking unnecessary risks when walking.

Why risk it? Cross the street at the crosswalk, wear light colored or reflective clothing and stay on the sidewalk. These simple things will help make a difference in reducing pedestrian related crashes.