National Pedestrian Safety Month
Blog by Parneeta Mohapatra, Bike Walk Macon Fall 2021 Intern
October is National pedestrian safety month!
Everyone is a pedestrian. Whether you walk to get to work or walk from the parking lot to the store, once you leave your car you are a pedestrian. About 6 in 10 people walk for transportation, exercise, relaxation, or for other activities.
However, nationwide pedestrian deaths rose 46 percent between 2010 and 2019. There were 273 pedestrian deaths in Georgia in 2020. In addition, a pedestrian was killed every 85 minutes and injured every 7 minutes in all of the United States in 2019.
Bike Walk Macon is proud to partner with the Macon-Bibb County Pedestrian Safety Review Board this month to make Macon’s streets a safer place for you to walk, regardless of when or how long!
So how can you stay safe this October?
If you’re a driver…
Keep a lookout for people walking or biking on the streets!
Slow down in residential areas.
Yield to pedestrians at a crosswalk.
Follow the speed limits!
Be cautious while parking and backing up.
If you’re a pedestrian…
Make sure you walk on crosswalks or intersections when crossing the street!
Be visible. If it’s dark out, try to wear brighter colors.
Don’t run into the path of a vehicle, especially if the intersection is a green light.
Be careful!
Be sure to check out these upcoming events hosted by Macon-Bibb’s Pedestrian Safety Review Board! Find more info about each event on their Facebook page.
Upcoming Bike Walk Macon Events:
Attention beer lovers and supporters of multimodal transportation! Fall Line Brewing Co. is partnering with Bike Walk Macon for a special Profit Sharing Night on Thursday, May 9! A percentage of all sales will be donated to help support Bike Walk Macon's efforts to create safer, more accessible, and more connected streets for all.
Join Bike Walk Macon on Thursday, May 9th for Macon Bike Party’s Rock Candy Ride as Jamie Weatherford of Rock Candy Tours takes us on a roll around Downtown and Intown Macon highlighting several prominent music locations! Learn about Macon’s diverse music history while enjoying the scenic views from two wheels.
Join the Bike Tech family each Saturday Morning (weather dependent) for a fun bike ride exploring Downtown Macon.
Urban Confidence is an intermediate bicycling course for adults. This class will help you improve your experience and safety so you can pedal our city’s streets. We'll cover general bike safety, communicating with other commuters, using dedicated bike infrastructure, and reviewing state and local laws. The class will help students be predictable, visible, and confident while biking in an urban environment.
Get ready to rumble, Macon! Froth Frenzy is happening at Fall Line Brewing Co., on Thursday, May 16th! Join Phoenix Wrestling Experience as they transform Fall Line into the ultimate arena for a night of wrestling madness. Proceeds will benefit Bike Walk Macon!
Join the Bike Tech family each Saturday Morning (weather dependent) for a fun bike ride exploring Downtown Macon.
Join Bike Walk Macon for a Walk ‘n’ Talk! This monthly walking series is an opportunity to connect and chat while getting some fresh air and gentle exercise.
Join the movement to go car-free in Macon on May 24th. Whether you're on your way to work, school, the park, or to run errands, Car Free Day is a chance to see all the benefits of alternative transportation.
The Macon Transit Authority (MTA) is providing FREE bus rides to all passengers from a bus stop or the Transfer Center in Downtown Macon.
Join the Bike Tech family each Saturday Morning (weather dependent) for a fun bike ride exploring Downtown Macon.
Join us for a bike tour along Macon's Ocmulgee Heritage Trail, led by Bike Walk Macon, starting at Amerson River Park at 9:30am in the parking lot in front of Porter Pavilion (the giant white canopy that is visible from the front gate entrance). Bring your own bicycle and pedal through the newest sections with trail leaders Bill Causey, retired Macon-Bibb County Engineer, and Erin Keller from NewTown Macon. Bill will share behind-the-scenes insights into building the trail, discussing its challenges and successes. Erin will discuss the fundraising efforts that made the trail's expansion possible.
Join us for a tour through the new and improved Linear Park, beginning at Booker T. Washington Community Center and exploring Walnut Street concluding in the heart of the park. This special "Hard Hat Tour" offers a rare glimpse into the changes underway in one of Macon's cherished green spaces.
Join us at Fall Line Brewing Co from 6-8pm on Trails Day for an exciting, free celebration of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail's future. We're unveiling the OHT Master Plan, a visionary blueprint outlining the next 25 years of development for this beloved community asset. The plan highlights how the trail will continue to enhance Macon as a premier recreational destination for all to enjoy.
Members are invited to join Bike Walk Macon’s annual Mobility Maker Party to celebrate everything we’ve accomplished together in the past nine years. Get ready for an evening of fun and good company!