Washington D.C. and Baltimore were just named among the top 5 on a list of cities with the least courteous drivers on the road according to the 2014 study conducted by AutoVantage, a roadside assistance service. So how can we beat the road rage and stay calm during our commutes? Fortunately, Washington, D.C. is also high on the list of commuters who choose to walk or bike rather than drive. D.C. ranks 2nd the list of the cities with the highest rate of walking to work, with 12.1% of commuters choosing the stress free option of walking. Also high on the list of cities with commuters choosing to walk was Boston ranking 1st, Pittsburg ranking 3rd, and Baltimore also made the list ranking 12th.
Another option available to help beat road rage is biking to work. This is especially true in areas where bike lanes are separate from the flow of traffic offering bicyclists safety from being cutoff or pushed off the roadway. D.C. has built more than 50 miles of safe bike lanes, and plans to add 14 more miles in 2014.
D.C. ranks 7th on the list of cities with the highest rate of commuters biking to work. The Capital Bikeshare program has also created a spike in bike usage in and around D.C., with Bikeshare stations set up from Gaithersburg, Maryland down to Alexandria, Virginia. A study by the Census Bureau found that nationwide the amount of commuters choosing to bike to work has increased 60% over the past 10 years, and is expected to continue to rise. The study also found that the average commuting time for bicyclists was only 19 minutes.
These less stressful options for commuting decrease the traffic on our roads, decrease the pollution from cars, and provide health benefits in the form of daily exercise. But, now that nice weather has returned and you hit the streets for your commute, please be sure to always stay alert. Pedestrians should always look both ways before crossing the street and stay within crosswalks. Bicyclists should follow all traffic laws, always signal for every turn, and be conspicuous with lights and bright colored or reflective clothing. Most importantly, drivers should always be alert for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Unfortunately, the fact that there are so many pedestrians and bicyclists, means that there are also too many bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents. As personal injury lawyers in the Washington DC area, we see too many of these accidents. Staying alert can avoid these accidents and save lives. If you are in a bicycle accident or pedestrian accident and suffer injuries, please call the Washington DC personal injury attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. We are always here to help.
