National Walk to a Park Day: Avoiding Pedestrian Accidents
October 10 is National Walk to a Park Day. The Trust for Public Land (TFPL) uses the event to encourage people to get outside and enjoy the wonderful parks we have in America. The organization is also encouraging local and state governments to designate more land for parks so that more people have access to them. TFPL President and CEO Diane Regas says, “Parks boost our mental and physical health, keep our cities cooler, protect our neighborhoods from storms and floods, and bring our communities together. Everyone deserves a great park within a 10-minute walk of home.”
Patterson Legal Group applauds TFPL’s mission. Our team hopes that you and your family get to enjoy the amazing parks we have in Kansas and Missouri. That said, safety comes first. While parks can be fun for the whole family, they can also be dangerous. Here are some tips from our pedestrian accidents lawyers to help you enjoy National Walk to a Park Day safely.
Five Valuable Safety Tips for National Walk to a Park Day
The majority of park accidents that result in an injury are easily avoidable. Please follow these five simple steps in order to greatly increase your park safety.
- Stick to Paths as Much as Possible: Designated paths are there to maximize your safety. These surfaces are generally flat and well maintained, allowing you to walk freely. While it can be fun and relaxing to feel soft grass beneath your feet and to explore different areas of the park, doing so increases your chance of an injury. Uneven surfaces, obstructed objects, bulging tree roots, and more can easily lead to a slip and fall accident.
- Check Benches and Other Surfaces Before Sitting Down: It’s a good idea to take a break every now and then during your walk in the park. A short rest helps you catch your breath while allowing you to enjoy a park’s beauty. Before sitting on a park bench, be sure to inspect it to make sure that it isn’t damaged or poorly maintained. If you see a large rock or log that would make a nice makeshift bench, make sure that it’s stable and can support your weight. Sitting on a broken bench or unstable rock can lead to broken bones, soft tissue damage, and more.
- Keep Your Head Up and Phone Down: Just like texting and driving can lead to car accidents, texting and walking can lead to pedestrian accidents. Keeping an eye on your surroundings and the immediate path ahead makes your walk in the park exponentially safer. Being mindful of your surroundings not only keeps you safe, but also makes things safer for everyone you’re sharing the park with.
- Be Especially Careful on Multi-Use Paths: Many park paths are meant to be shared by walkers, runners, and bicyclists. This makes them more dangerous since you have different people traveling at different speeds. If you’re hitting a multi-use path on National Walk to a Park Day then be sure to be extra vigilant. A jogger or biker may be caught up in their exercise and not see you. Keeping an eye out for them will help you avoid a pedestrian accident or bicycle accident.
- Have Your Emergency Contacts Ready: If you plan to go for a long walk in a large park then it’s a good idea to let your family and friends know so that they can track you down in case of an emergency. Be sure to have your emergency contacts ready in case you’re injured in a park. Consider using a device like an Apple Watch, which has a fall detection feature that can help you easily contact emergency services and your emergency contacts in the event of a bad fall.
Contact Patterson Legal Group
The personal injury lawyers at Patterson Legal Group hope that you head outside on National Walk to a Park Day. Although parks are some of the safest places you can be, accidents do happen. If you’ve been injured in a park and believe that your injury was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another party then contact us for immediate assistance.
Patterson Legal Group is available to assist you 24/7. Call us for a free consultation at (888) 687-2400 or connect with us through the Internet via LiveChat or encrypted contact form.
Our team is committed to making sure that you get the highest settlement possible for your injuries, while giving you the support and respect you deserve during your recovery. Best of all, we work on a “no win, no fee” basis, so you don’t pay a cent unless money is recovered on your behalf. Give us a call today and you’ll quickly learn why Patterson Legal Group is one of the most trusted personal injury law firms in the nation.