Submission by Dr. Glenn Mollette

Walking on the road is generally allowed when no sidewalk is available. However, certain roads—like highways or interstates—typically prohibit pedestrian traffic.

Walking on roads for exercise can be safe if you follow important precautions. Always walk facing traffic, stay as far to the left as possible, and wear bright or reflective clothing. Remain constantly aware of your surroundings, and choose roads with lower speed limits whenever possible.

It’s important to remember that pedestrians do not always have the right of way. You do have the right of way in the following situations:

• At crosswalks, whether marked or unmarked.
• At intersections with pedestrian signals.
• On sidewalks and paths, when vehicles are required to yield to pedestrians already in the roadway.
• When traffic signals or law enforcement give direction.
• When entering a roadway from your home or other private property.

However, on roads without sidewalks—where you’re expected to walk facing traffic—you must yield to vehicles.

Every winter in Florida, one or two people are killed while walking in crosswalks. They had the right of way—but they still lost their lives. It doesn’t matter if you’re legally in the right when you end up dead and unable to walk again.

We’ve had some beautiful weather recently in our area. This morning, as I drove to the store, I saw several people out walking and jogging on our small two-lane road. Some were walking in the roadway, and one couple was in a very shady area, seemingly assuming drivers would see them.

I’ve had a couple of friends hit by cars in recent years. One was badly injured while out walking. She survived—but only after multiple surgeries and a long recovery. Another friend was struck and killed.

You simply can’t take for granted that drivers are paying attention. Today, so many drivers are talking on their phones, texting, dancing to music, or looking at everything except the road. You cannot depend on drivers to keep you safe. While we should all drive with acute awareness, drivers make mistakes. And a jogger can’t afford to be in the path of someone who’s distracted.

These days, I see kids in our neighborhood riding mopeds with earbuds in, listening to music, laughing, and having fun. Then there are golf carts with kids hanging off the back or ATVs, which are illegal on most public roads. An ATV driving at dusk with no headlights is a terrifying sight. If you’re on foot, can they see you? Probably not.

The best we can do is our best. If you’re walking on a road, keep your attention in all directions. When a car approaches, move a few feet off the road to give them plenty of room. This is not the time to “stand your ground.” Don’t listen to music—you need to hear what’s coming.

We all need exercise, but not at the cost of our lives. I’m grateful that I can still walk and jog a little, and I do my best to stay alert. As drivers, our job is to slow down and drive as cautiously as possible.