Gambling on Safety, a Losing Proposition

  • Published
  • By Warren Ward
  • Air Force Global Strike Command
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La --   Roulette is a game of chance, but crossing the street at a designated crosswalk is a matter of safety and should not be left to a spin of the wheel. In fact, using a crosswalk squarely puts the odds in favor of the motor vehicle. 

 While pedestrians certainly have the ultimate responsibility to stop, look and listen before crossing the street, drivers must pay attention to people in the crosswalks. Some common sense things drivers include:
  • Slow down near the crosswalk; anticipate pedestrians will be there waiting to cross
  • Do not accelerate to beat the pedestrian to the crosswalk 
  • Do not change lanes in an attempt to avoid the pedestrian while continuing to proceed
  • Put down the cell phone you are not supposed to be using anyway
  • Both lanes of traffic must stop when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk
 Team Barksdale is a family comprised of military, civilians, contractors, dependants and visitors. While some individuals may envision themselves as the Hulk, in reality, mortal flesh tangling with a motor vehicle is dangerous for the pedestrian. Gambling on safety is a losing proposition. We are all responsible for preventing a potentially deadly encounter at any Barksdale crosswalk.