Don’t be left in the dark when it comes to safety

It is 4:30 p.m. in late November in Central Wisconsin, can you see your hand in front of your face?

For those wondering, the answer is no, you cannot see it - at least not without a flashlight or other form of artificial light. This is because it is dark at 4:30 p.m. and very few people can see well in the dark.

Sunset on Thanksgiving day will occur at 4:21 p.m. and with the near-constant cloud cover the region gets this time of year, things will appear darker even earlier.

Over the past month the sun has set about a minute sooner each day. The days will keep getting shorter until the solstice about a month from now when things switch into reverse and the region slowly sees more daylight.

If you can’t see, what makes you think that drivers out on the roads can see you, especially when you insist on bundling up in dark colored clothing like some arctic circle Ninja skulking about on a secret mission?

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 81% of all vehicle versus pedestrian crashes occur in low light conditions. Even the most reckless gambler wouldn’t take the odds on a person walking away unscathed against 2,000 pounds of chrome and steel. More than 7,300 pedestrians were killed in crashes in 2023 with the number increasing by 14% nationwide since 2019. This total is just for fatalities, thousands more are injured in avoidable crashes each year. Motorists should be paying attention, especially in low light situations. However, safety is everyone’s responsibility and you should do anything you can do to reduce your chance of being in a crash. The goal should be to do everything you can to keep you or your loved ones from becoming a statistic.

A very easy way to do this is to wear light-colored or reflective clothing. This could be as much as wearing a safety vest like those worn on construction worksites and by crews at emergency scenes, or as little as wearing a light colored jacket.

It is also important not to assume that drivers can see you. If you are out walking at night chances are your eyes have adjusted somewhat to the low light. This is not the case for motorists who can only see what their headlights illuminate.

It is especially important when walking with children or animals that they have reflective clothing on when out at night. Pets and children can react unpredictably and, while motorists may see adults walking, they may not see a dark child, stroller or pet, opening the door to tragedy.

While it is great that people get out and get exercise, it is important for everyone to take precautions and improve safety.