IMPROVING SAFETY FOR TRAIL USERS

Improving community and personal safety for trail users – what can you do?

Safety on the trails is important to us all. So, what can we do?

Here are some handy hints that have come from trail users themselves.

• Acknowledge other path users early – avoid surprising someone. It can be as simple as a smile, a nod or hello.

• Step off the trail if needed to give extra passing room.

• When approaching from behind advise early “Coming up behind I’ll pass when its safe” or “passing on your right / left”. This works for all trail users including bikes.

• If listening to music, consider using one earpiece or keeping the volume low, so you can hear other trail users approaching.

• Don’t become a ‘creature of habit’, mix up your routes, timing and locations.

• Take note of your surroundings. Listen and look for things that might be out of place.

• If you see something – say something. If you notice something that isn’t quite right advise other trail users and authorities.

• Share your intended route with someone else.

• Turn on your tech if you have it (GPS tracking, crash detection etc). Plan for longer on the trails then you think you’ll be. Take plenty of hydration, food and relevant first aid supplies.

• Join group runs if they are available to you. Consider listing group runs and make them accessible. Running with a group increases all kinds of safety and builds community.

• Keep talking to other runners – ask them what their barriers are and consider if there is anything you can do to potentially address or remove some of those barriers to help them.

• Not all disrespect leads to violence, but all violence starts with disrespect. Runners and Trail Users don’t let disrespect happen around you.