(ST. JOHN’S, NL) December 13, 2017 – The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) is issuing a safety reminder to pedestrians.

As daylight hours continue to shorten and winter settles in, we would like to remind the public of ways they can stay safe as pedestrians.

• Wear bright color clothing at night or when visibility is low due to weather. Reflective vests or patches worn over clothing can make you more visible to motorists.
• Cross roads only at designated crosswalks where possible. While motorists must stop for pedestrians at a cross walk, pedestrians must wait until they are certain motorists can see them and have come to a complete stop.
• Don’t text and walk. Laws prohibit using a mobile device while driving, but even pedestrians must use common sense when crossing roadways and pay attention to traffic; not their phone.

Motorists can also help keep pedestrians safe by:

• Reducing speed in low visibility or bad weather;
• Not operating their mobile device while driving;
• Reducing speeds in pedestrian dense areas such as downtown or in school zones and be ready to stop at crosswalks;
• Cleaning all snow and frost from windows before entering traffic so that they can clearly see the road, other motorists and pedestrians.
• Dark tinting on front windows is illegal and prevents drivers from making eye contact with pedestrians who are attempting to cross the road.

We thank the public in advance for their cooperation as we work together to improve road safety in our communities for both motorists and pedestrians.

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Cst. Geoffrey G. Higdon #819
Media Relations / Social Media Officer
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary
1 Fort Townshend, St. John’s, NL, A1C-2G2
Twitter: @RNC_PoliceNL
Facebook: RoyalNewfoundlandConstabulary
709-729-8658