If you’re motivated enough to get up for a pre-dawn jog or an evening walk, you don’t ever want to run the risk of tripping over a pothole or a steep curb. Injury statistics from the NHTSA found that pedestrians killed in traffic crashes are one the rise and 70% of these occur between the hours of 6-9 p.m. According to the NHTSA’s fact sheet, almost 80% of these accidents occur in urban neighborhoods during the fall and winter months.

With these seasons right around the corner, we found some light weight gadgets that will light your way on your night time run. Greg Colburn, a Seattle personal injury attorney who specializes in car accident cases found in a recent study that accident numbers have spiked in the last 5 years. With pedestrian related accidents on the rise, it’s imperative we start implementing new technologically friendly ways to make our night time runs safer.

GADGETS THAT LIGHT THE WAY:

Night Runner 270:

Night runner 270

According to the website, these are the car headlights build for pedestrians, they offer light weight comfort and give you a remarkable chance to be seen by drivers on the road with 30ft of hands free illumination at 270 degrees of guaranteed visibility!

Blink Light App:

hand holding iphone

This free IOS app developed by Negative Split Technologies givers runners increased visibility in the dark and allows you to choose from a broad range of patterns and colors. The customer reviews rave about the simplicity and the increased visibility this offers.

Tracer 360:

tracer 360 running gear

This best seller received rave reviews by the Amazon community. It’s the perfect night time running gear because it’s affordable, lightweight and keeps you visible in dark hours. The minimalist design helps ensure less sweat-trapping and won’t interfere with any heart rate monitor devices.

TIPS FOR BEING SAFE WHILE RUNNING ON THE ROAD:

  • Always run against traffic and when crossing.
  • Look both ways when crossing streets, 71% of fatalities occur on non-intersection streets.
  • Keep identification and blood type on the inside sole of your running shoe.
  • Buddy system works best.
  • Tell loved ones verbally or write down your specific route.
  • Trust intuition about a person or area.
  • Carry a cellphone that tracks your distance and GPS location.

Although these tips are commonly known, it’s important to remind yourself of the basics every once in awhile. It doesn’t take one person to make our roads safe, it takes the help of a community. Safer runners mean safer roads and less injury’s.