According to analysis conducted by consultants employed by Transport and Technical Services, around half of pedestrian injuries were caused as a result of the action of that person.

Very often in Jersey drivers say they witness pedestrians stepping out into the road without looking or perhaps listening to music through headphones and not being aware of traffic around them.

Because crossing the road is something we do every day of our lives, we tend not to think about it or perhaps we don’t concentrate in the way we should. Additionally, the route we take is often the same everyday and many of the risks we take, we probably don’t think of as risks because we do it every day and get away with it.

We were all taught the green cross code at school or by our parents, but as adults we rarely implement it in full.

Road Safety Panel member Dave St George said: “It’s surprising how often I see someone trying to cross a road close to a pedestrian crossing but not actually use it. It must surprise drivers when someone steps out from positions like this. I’m also amazed at the number of people I see using a mobile phone even texting while crossing roads or just stepping out without checking if it’s safe”

“Young people tend to take their lead from us when deciding where to cross the road and how to do it for instance. They just mimic us and pick up on all our bad habits. It’s really important for us to set the best example we can for our younger road users”.

Panel tips for Pedestrians:

Make sure you can be seen, especially during these darker days
If there is a pedestrian crossing near by, use it
It sounds obvious, but if there isn’t a pedestrian crossing near by, find somewhere safe to cross the road where you can be seen and you have a clear view of the road
Check carefully before stepping out
Don’t use your mobile phone or text whilst checking or crossing the road
Don’t assume drivers have seen you at a pedestrian crossing, make sure they are coming to a stop before stepping out, unfortunately many drivers will be distracted by something or perhaps using a mobile phone
When the green light goes out (in older crossings the green man will flash on and off) at a pedestrian crossing remember it’s too late to start to cross, push the button and wait for it to change back to green

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