Tips for Running Safely on the Roads

By: Becky Seidel

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Those of you participating in the Sports Backers’ Marathon Training Team have just started going on those weekly group runs. To ensure everyone remains safe out on the roads, we wanted to share a few of our tips for road running safety.  Running on the roads requires a particular knowledge and awareness of etiquette and safety rules so that runners, people on bikes, and automobiles can share the roads safely. Here are some tips to help everyone stay safe on the roads, in a group or alone.

Don’t Run Alone: OK, I know we said we would give you tips on how to stay safe while running alone, but running with a buddy (human or canine) or a group is seriously safer. If your dog would rather be carried in a purse than run and you don’t have a human running buddy, at least make sure you bring a cellphone. Sure, people like to unplug when they run, but you’ll be glad you have it when you tweak your ankle miles away from your house and have to hitchhike back.

On Your Left: When running on the road, always run towards traffic. That means cars can see you, and perhaps more importantly, you can see cars. If you can see the driver, then you will see when the driver of the car is on their phone and brushing their teeth at the same time. Those are cars you should give a wide berth. Go off the road if you have to, or take a quick break as the car passes, if necessary. When possible, make eye contact with any driver who is passing you so that you know they see you.

Communication: It’s very important to communicate clearly when running in a group, particularly when letting others know about oncoming traffic. Yelling ‘car up!’ and ‘car back!’ to let others know about approaching vehicles is a key part of running in a group. Also, be sure to not run more than two abreast when on group runs.

Know your Route: Be familiar with the route you are running (or run with someone who is) so that you will know when something isn’t quite right. You should always feel comfortable on your route, so trust your gut. Try not to be so familiar with your route that you could run it asleep, though. Vary your route so that it is interesting enough to keep your mind engaged.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings: Don’t lose focus on your surroundings. When running with a group, it can be easy to get caught up in being part of that group. Sometimes that leads to you assuming that someone else in your group will be aware of any danger.  However, if everyone in the group thinks that way, you might not notice danger before it gets to you. Also, when practicing that perfect ‘conversational pace,’ keep your conversations light enough so that you can focus on your surroundings and stay safe on the roads.

Be Visible: In addition to being aware of your surroundings, you should make it easy for your surroundings to be aware of you. Dress in bright colors, including reflective gear or lights if you are running at night or in the early morning. When you are sharing the roads with a car, expect the driver to not notice you. Even when you are dressed all in neon, waving your arms and shouting, expect to be invisible to drivers, and plan and react accordingly.

Have any other tips or suggestions? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below!