Lighten Up

Be sure to ‘Lighten Up’ for safety  

During this time of year when the days are shorter, the chances of a walker or cyclist getting hit by a vehicle increase due to less visibility.

In fact:

• Every year, more than 3,000 pedestrians and 850 bicyclists are hit by drivers in North Carolina 
• Of those incidents, about 180 are killed, representing almost 15 percent of all traffic fatalities that occur in the state  
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more pedestrian fatalities occurred in the dark (78 percent) than in daylight (19 percent), dusk (2 percent) and dawn (2 percent) in 2022  

Pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged to “Lighten Up” when they hit the roads. Here are a number of tips that people can follow to ensure safety at night.  

For pedestrians:  

• Increase your visibility by carrying a flashlight and wearing light-colored or reflective clothing  
• It’s safest to walk on a sidewalk, but if you must walk on the street, walk facing traffic   
• Cross the street at designated crosswalks – and be sure to watch for vehicles turning left or right, and entering and exiting parking spaces and driveways  

For cyclists:  

• Ride in the same direction as traffic  
• If you ride at night –get a light! Use white front lights and red rear lights and reflectors  
• Obey all traffic laws – stop at stop signs and red lights as if you were a car  

In addition, several area partners are hosting events to encourage everyone to “Lighten Up”:  

• NC State University “Lighten Up, Wolfpack,” Week of Oct. 27  
• Town of Chapel Hill, two month-long “Be Bright at Night” campaign   
• City of Raleigh, “Commute Smarter, Not Harder” series  
• Town of Carrboro, Nov. 13th