BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Although Bowling Green has made strides in the past few years to make itself more pedestrian and bike friendly, there is still a great deal of work to be done, and because of this, many roadways with crossings remain unsafe for pedestrians.

Harlan Holmes, organizer for the Bowling Green Running Club, gives Bowling Green a low rating when it comes to pedestrian safety.

“I give it about six out of 10 as far as safety. A lot of our town was developed, basically, for cars first and pedestrians second. So out outside of downtown where, you know, areas of town that are basically older than cars, where they’re designed pedestrian first, it can be unsafe crossing these busier intersections,” Holmes said.

Unfortunately, in the short term, there is not much for pedestrians to do other than a few things Holmes suggests to stay safe.

“Don’t assume that motorists can see you. Don’t rely on the attention span of another person when your life is dependent on it. So yes, assume that safety is your responsibility. Assume that you are invisible and basically you want to wear bright colors. Try your hardest to be seen, but still assume that you can’t be seen,” Holmes said.

This is the case for a number of roads that are major corridors for people attempting to get to and from places such as Greenwood Mall or some of the Kroger stores across the city.

One major issue is many drivers not paying enough attention while driving, texting or cell phone use in the car being a major cause of this inattentiveness. Lynda Lambert with AAA says as the days get shorter, it is even more important than ever to stay focused while driving.

“You should keep your headlights on and stay focused on the road. One of the most important things motorists can do is to avoid distractions, put down the phone. It’s imperative that you keep your attention on the road, even during daylight hours, but especially at night, because it’s harder to see pedestrians,” Lambert said.