Key Tips On Keeping Your Family Safe When Walking Home At Night
Walks are a great way to release stress, and sometimes walking is a cheap way of transport too. If you know you’re going somewhere relatively near, you and your family may likely opt to just walk to your destination, and walk back at home. One cause of concern, however, is if you have to walk with your family in the middle of the night. This is especially concerning nowadays when accidents can come up from out of nowhere.
Numbers from 2015 states that accidents in both metropolitan areas and cities beside metropolitan areas are much higher than non-metropolitan areas. As such, it’s important to be wary of your surroundings at all times so you don’t put yourself and your family in unnecessary risks. So what are key tips for keeping your family safe when walking home at night?
- Know your route. If you’ve decided to go for a walk with your family back home, make sure you know the way back home – and all the shortcuts that come with it. Use the main road as much as possible, especially if the shortcuts seem sketchy and isolated from places where you can search for help. Be wary of street signs and other indicators so you don’t get lost along the way.
- Try to wear reflective clothes. If you’re out of the house with your family, try to make sure you’re wearing bright and/or reflective clothing. This means you can wear something with bright colors, or even reflective stripes. Sometimes shoes and packs also have reflective surfaces, which can help bounce off light. This makes you recognizable to drivers, especially in large streets.
- Take advantage of street lights. When you’re traveling at night, especially if you’re walking, try to make sure you stay within the sight of street lights. These usually get placed along sidewalks, which doubles as a safeguard against traffic. Being under a light source can make you visible to drivers, which can at least ensure you’re safe from being hit by cars. Try to see if you can spot a solar LED street light and take advantage if you find a lot of them, as these tend to last longer since they don’t need to be connected to an electrical grid.
- Don’t get too risky, and stay alert. When walking with your family, make sure you still follow traffic rules. This means you should use off-road paths and sidewalks and never be directly on the street. Try as much as possible to walk facing the traffic, which allows you see and react to cars that might be coming your way. Follow pedestrian lanes and traffic lights before you cross streets, and be wary of tripping hazards.
- Don’t get distracted. It’s easy to get distracted if you’re with family, especially when you want to talk about things. However, try to make sure you’re not easily distracted from your destination by things such as gadgets, smartphones, or music players. Anything can happen on the street, especially accidents, so it’s important that you have your guard up at all times.
- Don’t walk back home too late in the night if possible. If you have the opportunity to schedule your events, try not to have the option of walking back home when it’s too late. Try as much as possible to schedule your night walks home when there are still lights everywhere – be it from stores, restaurants, or even houses nearby. This at least allows you to have an opportunity to ensure there is somewhere to go in cases of emergency, especially when the police station or hospital is too far for you to reach.
The Bottomline: Be Sharp and Alert
Perhaps the most important and most consistent advice you and your family should follow is that you should always remain sharp, alert, and vigilant wherever you are. This is especially the case if you have to walk in the middle of the night, as malicious elements and people can choose no time to strike. Make sure you know where everyone is at, at all times and that you all know the way home. Keeping your group tight and together can increase the chances of you being safe throughout the rest of your trip.
About the Author
Jacques Lee has a knack for anything electronic, and his inclination towards the sciences and his passion towards writing made him somewhat of a certified “techie” when it comes to blogging about anything technology. As a contributor for SOMPOR, Jacques makes sure his pieces are always informative and entertaining, especially when he knows certain topics need to be technical. He spends his free time playing video games and reading up on the latest trends in science.
