Daylight saving (DST) ends on November 2, 2025, and with it the clocks will “fall back” an hour. While it is nice to gain an hour of sleep, the end of daylight-saving time also comes with a increase of vehicle crashes, injuries, and pedestrian fatalities. This phenomenon prompts the question: What is so dangerous about being a pedestrian at night? Read More
On July 12, 2024, a family entered the local water park to cool down. The family consisted of a mother and her two sons. While walking toward the wave pool area, the mother stepped off the wooden stairs and onto the surrounding concrete landing. As she did so, she slipped on a puddle of water that had accumulated on the surface. She fell backward, landing on her left side and striking her elbow and the back of her head against the stairs—effectively ending the family’s outing before it began. Read More
Slip and falls occur when there is an unexpected loss of traction between a person’s foot and the walking surface, causing them to lose balance and fall. This type of injury is common and can occur in any setting where people walk, including homes, workplaces, and public areas. Slips can result in serious injuries, particularly for older adults.
The human gait cycle consists of four phases: the Read More
Every spring, the United States shifts the clocks forward one hour creating an extra hour of light in the evenings. However, this shift may be linked to a slight increase in fatal traffic accidents immediately following the time change. It is theorized that the increase in fatal traffic accidents is due to two things: people losing an hour of sleep and the low illumination conditions of morning commuters. Read More
Depth perception is an essential aspect of interacting with and navigating the world for people. Depth perception is the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions (3D). It allows people to judge how far away objects are, how they relate spatially to one another, and how they can successfully interact with them. Depth perception is a critical aspect of vision that enables activities like Read More
When we step out onto the road as pedestrians, most of us assume that we are easily visible to oncoming drivers. However, research shows that pedestrians frequently overestimate their visibility, especially at night or in low-light conditions. This overconfidence can lead to dangerous situations, contributing to accidents and fatalities. Understanding why pedestrians overestimate their visibility is crucial for improving road safety and preventing accidents. Read More
Trick-or-treating is a fun and festive activity, but it comes with certain hazards that can pose risks to children and even adults. In addition to vehicle and pedestrian collisions and accidents, tripping and falling while trick-or-treating is a common hazard, especially for children navigating unfamiliar and dimly lit areas at night.
Children and adults can face tripping hazards on walkways while trick-or-treating.
Tripping hazards can be mitigated through compliance with walkway safety standards such as ASTM F 1637-2021: Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces. ASTM F1637 is a standard that provides Read More
Trick-or-treating is a fun and festive activity, but it comes with certain hazards that can pose risks to children and even adults. In addition to trip and fall hazards while trick-or-treating, there is also an increased risk of vehicle/pedestrian collisions due to the increased pedestrian activity in the roadway at night.
Child trick or treating during Halloween in the roadway.
At night, there are two significant problems facing drivers that contribute to pedestrian/vehicle collisions: Read More
Susan, a 45-year-old runner, was jogging in the early morning approximately an hour before sunrise, also known as “civil twilight.” Civil twilight occurs both before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is below the horizon and the sky is partially illuminated. Susan was wearing dark athletic clothing and grey tennis shoes for her morning run. She was running on the sidewalk in a suburban area and began to cross the four-lane road at an unmarked crosswalk. Read More
An afternoon summer rain shower led to an elderly woman’s admittance to the hospital. Mrs. Jones, aged 68, entered a retail store to buy groceries for her visiting family. Mrs. Jones walked through the store’s vestibule toward the entrance where she slipped and fell, sustaining significant injuries. An investigation was conducted to determine the cause of the slip and fall incident.
The investigation revealed Read More
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