COUNTERMEASURE
Objective: To prevent accidents involving pedestrians by anticipating hazards likely when maneuvering close to pedestrians and knowing how to handle such situations safely.
Description: Most pedestrian accidents occur when the pedestrian walks onto a roadway and into the path of an approaching vehicle. Pedestrians often misjudge the speed and closeness of a commercial motor vehicle. Pedestrians assume you can and will slow down for them. Pedestrians think that because they can see you, you can see them. These kinds of errors in judgment are why pedestrian accidents frequently occur. Drivers should try to anticipate pedestrians making such errors and be prepared to compensate.
Questions for Management:
1. Have your drivers ever been trained to maneuver safely near pedestrians? How? When? By whom?
2. Do you know if your drivers maneuver around pedestrian traffic safely?
3. Do you ever have qualified personnel ride with your drivers to assess their safe driving habits?
Maintenance Checks:
• Broken mirrors – loose mountings
• Horn operation
• Adequate indirect vision devices
Driving Tips:
• When maneuvering close to pedestrians, anticipate that the pedestrian may do the unexpected.
• Adjust your driving to safely avoid a pedestrian who jumps out in front of you. It is difficult for pedestrians to correctly judge how fast you are approaching. If you are going faster than normal for the area, you may count on the pedestrian judging there is time to cross when really there is not.
• Pedestrians will often assume that you see them and that you will slow down for them to complete their crossing.
• Don’t assume they will give you the right-of-way until it is obvious they are waiting for you to pass.
• At night especially, pedestrians assume you can see them because they can see your headlights so easily.
• Be extra careful at night in pedestrian areas. Remember improper trailer tracking in turns may cause your trailer to run onto the sidewalk. Turn wide enough to avoid this and go very slowly.
• Pedestrians all too often walk or stand in the blind spots in front and to the right of your vehicle. Scan around vehicle thoroughly when pedestrians are present.
