When you’re driving, paying attention to pedestrian safety is just as important as caring for the safety of your passengers and other drivers on the road. A Safer Drivers Course from a reputable driving school can teach you safe driving skills, road awareness, and compliance with road rules. However, becoming a responsible driver and preventing accidents also involves understanding the risks pedestrians face on the road and the causes behind them. Alcohol and inebriation have long been a big factor in the pedestrian fatalities and serious injury cases in Australia. This post will discuss how alcohol impacts pedestrian safety, how pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility, and what you can do to keep your mates safe when they’re considering drunk walking.
Is Alcohol a Threat to Pedestrian Safety?
In many countries like Australia, drunk walking is quickly becoming a problem equal to drunk driving, causing countless serious injuries and even fatalities. In 2023 alone, more than 40 of the 46 pedestrians killed in fatal crashes on NSW roads were intoxicated. And more than 1 in every 4 drivers and passengers who lost their lives had a BAC exceeding the legal limit. Alcohol consumption greatly affects the safety of pedestrians, making them vulnerable and sometimes even responsible for their accidents. That’s why awareness regarding the effects of alcohol consumption on pedestrian safety is so important.
How Alcohol Affects Pedestrian Safety
Alcohol has a significant and lasting impact on pedestrian and road safety. And it’s not just drivers who get affected and slip up while drunk driving. Pedestrians also commit mistakes when they’re walking under the influence. Alcohol affects an individual’s mental and physical abilities, such as judgment, balance, motor skills, reaction times, speech, etc. It makes them unable to perform simple daily tasks and vulnerable to accidents. Alcohol affects pedestrian safety in the following ways:
1. Alcohol Reduces Awareness
Drunk pedestrians don’t have any control over their thoughts or movements. They often make mistakes in judging distances or identifying road signs accurately. They might not notice when a vehicle is approaching them, misjudge its distance, or step onto the road suddenly. This reduced awareness of their surroundings can make them vulnerable to accidents.
2. Alcohol Makes You Slow
Being quick and aware on the road is not just advice for drivers, it’s for the pedestrians too. Quick reflexes can help you stop in time to avoid an incoming vehicle or stay back when the signal is closed. However, drunk people cannot react as quickly, making them more likely to get hit by an incoming vehicle than jump out of the way in time.
3. Alcohol Affects Decision-Making Abilities
Alcohol affects decision-making abilities, vision and even muscle coordination. That’s why drunk pedestrians often fail to make correct and safe decisions. It can make them goof up and violate laws and put themselves and other road users at risk.
4. Increased Risk at Night
Roads are already riskier at night. Add to it the state of inebriation, and the risk level just doubles. When you’re drunk, you’re already not thinking clearly. Plus, nighttime and low visibility can affect vision, making it difficult to see clearly. This increases the danger of accidents occurring at night.
Whether you’re a driver or a pedestrian, it’s necessary to stay vigilant and aware, especially in areas with busy nightlife like pubs and clubs. If you’re a new driver, learning safe and defensive driving tricks in your driving school can help you anticipate hazards caused by inebriated pedestrians and avoid them successfully.
How to Stop a Mate From Drunk Walking
Road safety is not just about following the rules, it’s also about helping other road users. So, what to do when you’re faced with someone who is drunk-walking or considering doing so? You can make sure they find alternative ways to get home safely while avoiding risky situations. Here’s what you can do to help them:
● Make Them Take Public Transport
Walking home intoxicated is just as risky as driving drunk. If your friends have been drinking, you should make sure they have a safe way to get home and are not walking under the influence. If possible, get them to take public transport, taxis, or rideshares so that they can get home safely.
● Don’t Leave Them Alone
Drunk people are not in full control of their faculties. So, stay with them if they’re alone. If they’re avoiding public transport and insisting on walking home, you can accompany them and make sure they get home safely. If you’re in a group, make sure to stay together and stop them from trying to cross the road or walk alone.
● Don’t Take Unnecessary Risks
When walking with a drunk friend, it’s better to avoid taking risky routes. Stay on roads and pathways that are well-lit, walk on pedestrian crossings to avoid getting hit, and steer clear of heavy-traffic roads. It can help you avoid risky situations and reach home safely.
● Drive Responsibly
If you’re the designated driver for your group, make sure to avoid any drinks and stay sober. When driving, stay alert and aware, avoid driving through high-traffic areas, and always stop for pedestrian crossings.
By staying alert, aware, and active, you can avoid risky situations that put inebriated pedestrians at risk.
A Shared Responsibility
Ensuring the safety of pedestrians is not just the driver’s responsibility, pedestrians are equally responsible. When pedestrians on the road are intoxicated, they put themselves and others at risk and increase the risk of accidents. So, pedestrians should understand the importance of not walking under the influence. However, drivers must also be proactive and take proper measures to prevent crashes due to a lack of awareness. Driving slowly in high-risk areas, stopping for pedestrian crossings, and staying aware of your surroundings can go a long way in keeping the roads casualty-free. A good driving school can help you understand road rules and identify risks like pedestrians behaving irresponsibly. You can also learn defensive driving techniques in a Safer Drivers Course from a reputed school like Onroad Driving Education. By staying alert and aware and making smart choices, we can make roads safer for everyone!
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