Exercise Safety Tip: Make Eye Contact
I recently polled you guys about skipping workouts due to not feeling safe, and a few of you mentioned being worried about getting hit by a car.
Motorists can be distracted and forget to pay attention for people crossing the street as well as other vehicles. So one thing that I do when I am jogging around my neighborhood is to always (always, always) make eye contact with the motorist before crossing the street in front of him or her at a stop sign or light. This is the only way to be assured that they actually see me and are waiting to let me cross. Usually, the person behind the wheel will then wave me through after making the eye contact, which is the best scenario in my opinion. As a courtesy, I wave back so that the communication is followed through. The fact of the matter is that unless I get that eye contact, I don't cross. The momentary pause in my exercise is not worth the possibility of getting hit by a car.
Fit's Tip: Having had a family member hit by a car and killed when crossing the street, I would suggest adding this practice into your everyday life, not just when exercising.
