Under Canada law a pedestrian is classified as anyone who is travelling from place to place on two legs — that includes walkers and runners alike. Special laws exist to protect runners and walkers from getting into an accident with motor vehicle drivers. These laws were created because pedestrians are at a severe disadvantage compared to motorists who are behind a protective shell of steel.
At the same time that motorists need to be extra careful to look out for pedestrians, follow traffic laws at crosswalks, and give pedestrians the right of way, pedestrians also need to take care when walking or running because motorists often make mistakes, fail to follow the law or get distracted and hit a pedestrian. By following several pieces of advice, though, the average pedestrian can do a lot to stay safe.
First, be sure to stay very aware of your surroundings at all times. The more awareness a runner has, the more chance he or she will be able to avoid a disaster. One great way to stay extra alert is to get plenty of sleep and stay hydrated before a run. Second, leave the headphones at home. We use our ears to take in and be aware of our surroundings. If you cut off outside noises, you might get blindsided by a car that you otherwise would have heard coming up behind you.
Third, always use the sidewalk or at least the shoulder of the road, and never run in the street. Stay as far away as you can from the pathway of injury-causing collisions on the road. Fourth, be sure walk or run against traffic because this will give you extra warning of cars coming in your direction.
By following these and other pieces of common sense safety advice, Ontario pedestrians can stay safe and avoid many car accidents that could leave them with fatal or catastrophic injuries. Still, if an injurious accident does occur in spite of the pedestrian’s best efforts, he or she may have a case to pursue personal injury damages in court.
Source: Legal Examiner, "10 Safety Tips for Running," accessed Aug. 07, 2015