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Add to FavoritesNothing in life is 100% safe, but running on roads is not a very risky prospect. As with all things, there is less risk associated with it when done properly. Statistically speaking, driving on the road is much more dangerous than running on it. (I myself am a runner, as my father has been for 40 years, and have yet to meet someone who has come to harm running on the road, whereas there have been many auto accidents affecting the people I know.)
To maximize safety, the runner can take certain measures:
He/she ought to wear visible clothing. (That I've been known to run at night in black without mishap should not be taken to discourage safe behavior.) There are a myriad of accessories out there to enhance visibility as well, including reflective vests and strips as well as clip-on lights.
In at least some states, runners are required by law to run Facing traffic - that is, on the left side of the road. Note that since such laws exist, state governments have given their de facto approval for runners to use the roadways. While I've never seen the rule enforced, it does make a lot of sense from a safety standpoint. Facing the traffic gives you the opportunity to watch and make certain that the drivers have indeed seen you (and are giving you enough space). The runners who foolishly run with traffic are putting themselves in unnecessary jeopardy.
Runners should always practice basic safety as well; looking both ways before crossing the street and staying visible to cars rather than weaving in and out of parallel parked vehicles.
Running in the street frequently offers a safety advantage over running on sidewalks or trails. Our roadways tend to be maintained much more frequently than footpaths (though with current trends, exercise paths are receiving more care in some areas now). Runners most frequently incur injuries themselves, pulling muscles and ligaments, spraining joints, and the like. Such injuries are much more likely on an irregular surface, as an uneven sidewalk can be - or a path with roots or potholes.
Runners are much faster than other pedestrians. Getting past walkers can pose a threat or challenge itself, especially with the growing number of people who walk with headphones (or cell phones) impairing their ability to hear. On the sidewalk, the runner may be forced to leave the path to go around the unvigilant walker, putting him/her at risk of injury on the uneven ground. The runner is also at risk if he/she happens to startle the walker. When they are unable to hear the runner, they first become aware of the runner when he/she passes them, and may act to protect themselves, mistaking the runner for a mugger or something. This may sound extreme, but enough walkers carry mace, canes, or other devices to make them feel safer that they become a risk when startled. Dog walkers too are dangerous to the runner, because far too many people are irresponsible and give their dogs too much leash. Most dogs are friendly, but enough have made a grab for my ankles to leave me wary.
Running on the roads is a safe and advantageous choice. Now get out there and run!
Learn more about this author, Ernest Capraro.
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No
Most of us live in cities so it's difficult to find a place to jog rather than on roads. Jogging on roads isn't safe at all. Based on recent researches the best place to jog is on grass, because in that way you will not hurt your legs as much as on road.
Let's concentrate on the advantages first, (which are far less than the disadvantages). Asphalt is less dangerous than dirt road. Usually an asphalt road doesn't have so many holes as a dirt road has. If you accidentally fall in a hole you can injure yourself. In that point, city asphalt roads are the best roads to jog on.
Now let's see the disadvantages. First of all asphalt is a strong material that will hurt your legs. Recent researches have shown that running on asphalt for many years can lead to serious leg and knee injuries. Humans are not used to walk or run on asphalt roads, so our bodies are not compatible with that kind of roads.
City roads are not safe at all in a matter of accidents. Even if you are jogging on the pedestrian road, you can accidentally fall on a pedestrian walking on it. Running on roads is more dangerous though, because you can be hit by a car. The best way to prevent this kind of accident is to run in the opposite direction from the direction that the cars are coming. You can see them coming and it's far easier to avoid them. It may be safer but by avoiding the cars you can easily fall in a hole or injure your legs from hitting on the pavement.
Jogging in a city is also not the best thing to do. You are exercising and your lungs need more oxygen. In cities, as we all know, the quality of the air is far more worse than in the countryside. Our lungs will get polluted air and thus will make us feel worse. Jogging on road will make you inhale more exhausts from cars and I don't think that you would want that!
If you live in a city, try not to jog in central roads. Try to find a nearby stadium to jog. In that way you can eliminate most dangerous that come from jogging on roads. First of all, there are no cars to hit you. That is very important because cars are the most dangerous accident you can encounter while running. Apart from that you can run on grass which is far better than running on asphalt. Usually runners in stadium are running on the same direction so there will be no problem with hitting the other runners because none is running or walking in the opposite direction than yours!
Learn more about this author, Sotiris Karahalios.
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