A drive through downtown takes a certain presence-of-mind and careful nuance. There are tons of people, either on foot, bicycle, unicycle or skateboard, and they are all there to enjoy the downtown life. Therefore, safety is not on the top of their to-do lists. As a driver, it is your responsibility to share the road and avoid hitting all the people in your path. Here are a few tips to help guide you through the chaos of a downtown drive:
Slow your roll. By driving slow, you will be able to react in time and avoid running people over. Also, the chances of a person getting hit by a car dying is directly related to speed: 90% chance of death at 55 mph, 50% chance of death at 40 mph, and a 10% chance of death at 25 mph.
Yield the right-of-way to those walking. Always. Even if you think you’re right, it doesn’t matter. Pedestrians always have the right of way. After all, you can’t just run them over.
Take left turns carefully. This is a common mistake among downtown drivers, and can end in a serious injury. Always look for pedestrians when taking a left turn, because more than likely, the walk signal will be indicating it’s their turn to cross the street. Just like you are supposed to yield to oncoming traffic, you must also yield to oncoming pedestrians.
Look twice before taking a right on red. Yes, you can turn right if the light is red. However, first check to make sure no one is crossing the street.