Distracted Pedestrian Safety Campaign

City of Ryde along with Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches and Willoughby councils, in conjunction with Roads & Maritime Services, are working to make pedestrians more aware of the dangers of distraction while using mobile devices when they are out and about.

As pedestrians, we become more vulnerable when stepping out from the kerb if our head space is occupied with music and mobile phones because they limit hearing and reduce concentration and reaction times.

The Distracted…? campaign aims to reduce pedestrian crashes and challenge pedestrians zone in before stepping off the kerb.

Safety tips for pedestrians

• Avoid using mobile phones or music players
• Cross at marked crossings or traffic lights
• If you have to walk or run on the road, do so in the direction of oncoming traffic so you are more visible
• At traffic lights cross only when the pedestrian signal is green. Do not start to cross when the red light flashes
• Before you cross a road, think about whether a driver can see you
• Never assume a vehicle will stop for you
• Avoid crossing between parked cars or in front of buses
• Children eight years and under should hold an adult's hand at all times
• Children ten years and under should hold an adult's hand when crossing the road
• Wear bright or light coloured clothing at night or in reduced visibility conditions.

Safety tips for drivers

• You must give way to pedestrians crossing the road is you are in danger of colliding with them, even if there is no marked pedestrian crossing
• Slow down on roads where there are likely to be pedestrians
• Never assume a pedestrian has seen you and will wait for you to go past
• Older pedestrians may need longer to cross
• Children are difficult to see and may act unpredictably.