Upper Ottawa Valley OPP say whether walking or driving, safety is paramount and road safety is a shared responsibility for all road users.
Pedestrians should strive to stay visible to traffic with shorter daytime hours upon us, as well as after dark or in low-light conditions.
Police advise pedestrians to ‘do the bright thing’ and wear bright or reflective clothing, walk on sidewalks, or on the shoulder of the road facing traffic if a sidewalk is unavailable.
Cyclists are reminded to stay off sidewalks.
Motorists should be observant for pedestrians. At school crossings where a crossing guard is present and at pedestrian crossovers identified with signs, road markings and lights, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians as they cross the whole roadway.
Drivers are reminded to cut the distractions, look ahead, drive the speed limit, and allow time to react to unexpected situations.
