September is Pedestrian Safety Month! As students are back to school on campus, more people are walking in Menlo Park’s streets and it is important for everyone to keep the road safe for all. Please review these safety tips:

Pedestrians:

• Make yourself visible: wear bright colored clothes and carry a flashlight if you are walking at night.
• Make eye contact with drivers: do not assume the driver can see you.
• Stay off your phones.
• Look before you step – cross streets at marked crosswalks/intersections, obey traffic signals and watch for turning vehicles.
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street

Drivers: 

• Slow Down in streets with lots of pedestrians (near school zones, downtown): Slowing down by just 5 or 10 mph makes a big safety difference. 
• Obey school zone speeds and do not forget to drive cautiously around school buses. 
• Pedestrians have the right of way at any crosswalk or intersection, so yield and be prepared to stop.
• Avoid distractions, stay off your phones! 
• Look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.

Other ways to celebrate Pedestrian Safety Month 

• The Safe Routes to School program offers many resources on its webpage for the community to teach and promote pedestrian safety. 
• Learn the rules of the road and test your skills and knowledge with the Walk and Roll Activity Book.
• Start a Walking School Bus at your school.