Pedestrians (1956)

[Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] when you're behind the wheel pedestrians seem to fill the street when you're a pedestrian cars always seem to be in the way since nearly one-fourth of all people killed in traffic accidents are pedestrians drivers should be aware of the special hazards they present many accidents involving pedestrians are the result of the pedestrian doing the wrong thing but a good driver is an alert driver he makes sure that he drives at a reasonable speed in every situation so that he can stop short of an accident no matter what the pedestrian may do a skillful driver looks for different kinds of clues in certain situations to tip himself off on the next possible move by pedestrian you should learn to look for these kinds of clues obstructed views conditions such as darkness or slippery roads which make it harder to stop your car intersections and crosswalks warning signs and places where crowds of people may be waiting to cross the road when you are driving next to a row of parked cars you must drive slowly enough to stop in case of pedestrian should suddenly step out into your path the clue to a potentially unsafe situation might be a bus or streetcar which is stop to load or unload passengers sometimes your view of the traffic light will be hidden by a bus or truck at the curb take the clue from the hidden view and proceed with caution those people on the corner can see the light and they assume that you can too it's usually not safe to get out of a parked car on the driver's side make it a habit to slide over and get out on the curbside whoa there you're becoming a pedestrian now remember make sure little brother moves out of the driveway before getting into the car from our vantage point here we can see quite clearly but you can't see as well from your position at the wheel a small child or pet could easily be hidden from your view play it safe and take a few extra steps to make sure the driveway is clear country driving is faster consequently you can't stop as quickly and you're by a pedestrian almost before you know it it's smart for a pedestrian to walk against traffic so we can see approaching cars on his side of the road on the other side of the road he can't see the cars tiller past not all pedestrians do the smart thing so it pays to drive more cautiously here and pedestrians may look normal but they may have a physical handicap at night your stopping time is limited by the distance you can see a pedestrian ought to carry a light or wear light-colored clothing at night but again not all of them do the bright glare of the headlights often makes the pedestrian think that the driver can see him as soon as he sees the car but that's not so anytime the road is slippery your safe driving speed is below when it would be in good weather when you see a car ahead park next to the road be prepared to stop someone might cross from the other side of the road watch both sides keep your speed down any intersection is a clue to be on the alert people crossing the street are frequently more interested in a bargain at the market than they are in a safe walk across the street a pedestrian should be especially careful to look out for cars making turns of intersections this driver combines courtesy with his driving skill signs like these are designed to help you drive safely if you disregard them you may be involved in an accident pedestrians are subject to traffic controls too and in many places they may be fine for traffic violations while both the driver and the Walker should be alert at all times it is the responsibility of the driver of the powerful heavy vehicle to avoid a collision with the pedestrian courtesy and good judgment combined with alert attention to traffic signs will almost guarantee you a lifetime of accident free driving in most states it is illegal to pass a school bus which has stopped to pick up or unload children it is usually illegal to pass the bus in either direction do you know the law in your state it is especially important to be alert when there is a crowd of people near the roadside many pedestrians are not drivers they don't know how long it takes a driver to stop a car wearing headlights make it hard for the pedestrian to judge a safe time to cross the road some people can't make up their minds if you're not extra careful they may run out right into your path make it safe for them and for yourself take it easy even during daylight hours you have to pay full attention here's a clue you can't be too careful where children are concerned little boys and girls are often very good about staying out of the street but they don't expect a car to invade their play area expect them to do the unexpected every time remember that alertness and driving know-how are required to avoid accidents involving pedestrians look for the clues which may help you keep out of trouble as we have seen many pedestrians can't always be counted upon to watch out for themselves they need your help when you're behind the wheel and your example when you are a pedestrian yourself [Music] [Applause]