Gates Mills Police Department                  

Proud to Serve…Sworn to Protect

From Your Police Department:

Welcome to Fall!  I hope you had an enjoyable summer.  I have had several conversations with residents who have expressed concern about their safety when out walking around the Village so I would like to offer some suggestions regarding safe walking practices.

As you are aware we have no sidewalks in the Village and many of our residents enjoy walking for exercise.  We want to keep you safe!  While driving please be aware and cautious of walkers.  Walkers please follow the tips below to ensure your safety.

If there is no sidewalk and you must walk on the side of the road, use the side where you are facing oncoming traffic.  This is the left side of the road and gives you the best chance to see traffic approaching closest to you and take evasive action when needed.

Wear bright colors when walking in daytime. When walking at night, wear light-colored or reflective clothing or a reflective vest to be visible. Drivers are often not expecting walkers to be out after dark, so you need to give them every chance to see you even at street crossings that have crossing signals. Be just as cautious at dawn or twilight, as drivers have limited visibility or may even have the setting or rising sun directly in their eyes.

Don't drown out your environment when listening to your earbuds or headphones. Keep the volume at a level where you can still hear bike bells and warnings from other walkers and runners. Your audiologist will also thank you!

Talking or texting on a mobile device while you walk is just as dangerous as doing those things while driving. You can be distracted and not as aware of your environment. You are less likely to recognize traffic dangers, passing joggers and bikers, or tripping hazards. Potential criminals see you as a distracted easy target. Adopt habits that keep your phone in your pocket, or at least stop at a safe place to complete your phone tasks before moving on.

Until next month – Proud to serve…Sworn to Protect

Yours in Service,

Gregg Minichello

Chief of Police

(440) 423-4405 ext. 112

gminichello@gatesmillsvillage.com