How to Safely Walk on Ice

Winter weather can be treacherous for people traveling in vehicles and on foot alike. While many people are aware of safety techniques for driving on ice, far fewer take the time to familiarize themselves with how to walk safely on icy or slippery ground.

By familiarizing yourself with some safety tips for walking on ice, you can hopefully avoid dangerous and damaging slip and fall accidents in the winter.

• Walk slowly! This may seem to be obvious, but many slip and fall accidents on ice are caused by people who do not provide themselves with enough time to get where they need to go and end up rushing on slippery conditions. When traveling on foot on ice, make sure to give yourself extra time so that you will not have to walk quickly on dangerous ground.
• Never carry anything in your hands. In the event that you do slip and fall, you will want to have your hands available to break your fall and keep you from falling on your head or face. For the same reason, you should not walk with your hands in your pockets in icy weather.
• Wear the right footwear. Shoes with good traction, like quality sneakers or boots, can help grip the ground below you and gain stability. Additionally, by wearing a boot with ankle support, you decrease the risk of spraining or twisting your ankle if you do happen to slip.
• Test an area before you step on it. If you are unsure as to whether a spot in front of you is slick or not, extend one foot out and test it before you transfer your whole weight to the spot.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property due to ice, contact the Jacksonville premises liability attorney Don Guthrie today at 904-296-1088.