A nighttime run can be really refreshing, especially after a long day of stressful work. But, running on the roads at night – no matter where you live – can also be dangerous if you’re not careful. Drivers that have rear view cameras might be able to see you better when it comes to backing up and noticing runners in blind spots and at the end of driveways, but not all drivers have rear view cameras.
Since we want you to be safe at all times when running on the roads, here are some of our best running safety tips.
- Run with traffic. The rule is to ride with traffic, this includes biking and running. When you’re on two feet, you want people to be able to see you, and that means not running into oncoming headlights.
- Stay on the side of the road if possible. In some rural areas, it can be really hard to run on sidewalks where there aren’t any. But, try to stay on sidewalks or near the edge of the road, so that you can always see cars, and cars can see you too.
- Don’t wear headphones. If you’re running in the city on sidewalks only, headphones at night might be okay to wear. But, running in a rural place in the dark without headphones spells trouble. You need to be able to hear approaching cars, and this can’t happen if your ears are covered.
- Tell someone where you’re going, or use a running app like RunKeeper to track your movements. If you do disappear, the person you notified should be able to find you quickly.
- Wear reflective clothing. You can never be too safe, and there are lots of sports apparel manufacturers that create reflective items just for runners – and you can find reflective shoes too. Drivers can see these reflective materials, and that means that your run will be a lot safer.
- Be careful on hills. Sometimes, a driver’s view can be hindered when going over a hill. If you are running on a hilly road, make sure that you watch for headlights reflected in trees, and listen carefully for oncoming cars that may not see you clearly.
- Make note that most drivers today are distracted. While it’s illegal in most places to use phones while driving, few drivers pay attention to this law. Assume that all drivers are distracted, and also assume that no driver can clearly see you. Err on the side of caution.
- Know that early morning drivers tend to be sleepy. Some of those people might not have slept well or could be coming home from a late night shift. If you run during the wee hours of the morning, watch out for sleepy drivers.
- Be careful in parking lots. Does your run take you through a parking lot? Drivers that do not have a rear camera will not see you, so watch out for cars that are backing up – some drivers simply do not look before backing up, and this can be very dangerous.
- Don’t assume that all drivers have a rear camera. Many drivers do, but some do not have these cameras installed, so be especially careful when it comes to running behind cars.
Getting a Rear Camera
If you are runner, you know how important having a rear camera is, right? So, make the road safe for other runners by installing a rear camera of your own. Contact the team at Trail Ridge Technologies today about a QuickVu camera to find out how you can have one installed and how much this will cost you. In the end, though, you really can’t put a price on road safety!