Safety for Pedestrians

The roads of Rome are idyllic and beautiful, but they can be intimidating for a pedestrian to navigate if one is not aware of some key elements of safety. The traffic not only tends to rush like river—with cars steadily darting by and scooters intermittently weaving through them—but many streets were built several centuries ago and are devoid of sidewalks. To a pedestrian who is not from Rome, the roads can seem dizzying and almost impossible to cross. However, knowing a few important rules allows one to see and safely participate in the delicate dance that otherwise may look like chaos. 

One important element of safety for pedestrians is to use “Zebra” crosswalks or crosswalks with lights when crossing the street. Zebra crosswalks are usually marked with several parallel white stripes stretching from one side of the street to the other, much like a standard crosswalk one might see in the United States. Though, it is important to be very careful when using either type of crosswalk, because not all cars and scooters will yield to pedestrians. In fact, it is quite unusual for a car to stop for a pedestrian if they are not actively trying to make their way across the street. It is for this reason that in Rome, one should try to make eye contact with drivers, or signal them with their hand, to alert drivers that they are going to walk out in front of them. Angela Corrias, a travel journalist with a focus on Rome, spoke on how she crosses the street, saying,

"...Even if I’m in the pedestrian stripes, I never just go and cross. I stop, I make sure the driver sees that I’m crossing, then I start. Then, in the middle, I stop again because there’s the other second lane or second half of the road and i want to make sure that the other drivers also see me."

This bit of acknowledgment is customary, and it can ensure that drivers understand the pedestrians’ intentions. 

Another important element of pedestrian safety is remaining alert and decisive when walking along the street or trying to cross it. If one is unaware or not a witty decision maker, they can easily get hit by a scooter or smart car trying to snake around traffic. Further, they can confuse drivers if they get scared and suddenly change directions, heightening the chance of causing an accident.

“They don’t pass always on the right side, or park. We park… very wide… in the double row. Yeah the roads are not really (for) driving, not really organized entirely,” says Corrias.

Lastly, one must always be apprehensive of their footing because most of the streets are made of cobblestone, which makes it easier to trip and fall, twisting an ankle or worse, if one is not mindful of the terrain.