6 Safety Tips for Nighttime Pedestrians in Northern Colorado

Wearing black or dark colors is one of the worst things Northern Colorado residents can wear when walking around outside at night. That's not to say your little black dress you wore at the Rec Room is unacceptable (because it probably looks totally fetch on you). However, wearing lighter colors will make you more visible to vehicles, or even cyclists, that aren't paying attention to what's in their way.

Black, brown, and dark blue or  green are not recommended as safe colors to wear at night, says Active.com. If you're out for a run, consider wearing reflective clothing (even one of those bight yellow or orange vests - HOT!). Reflective dog leashes/harnesses are also something to look into if you jog with your pet.

Facing traffic gives drivers AND yourself a clear view of who or what is in your immediate environment. Women's Running says this is perfect for when/if you need to make any "last-minute maneuvers."

This is an especially great tip for roads with curves, like South Lemay Avenue between Horsetooth and Harmony, where drivers are often blinded by the winding road and hills leading up to the Landings neighborhood.

Northern Colorado has so many beautiful trails for us to run, bike, and walk along. Unfortunately, not all of them are well-lit.

The Power Trail is one offender - it's a fun and popular trail to take, as it runs behind several major neighborhoods in southeast Fort Collins. But aside from street lamps on Horsetooth and Drake, it's not lit anywhere else.

Try to avoid trails like that and opt for well-list sidewalks instead.

It seems like a no-brainer that everyone has their cell phone with them at all times. While this is most likely true, I can't tell you how many times I've personally had my phone with me...but it had less than 10% battery life.

No matter what area of Northern Colorado you're in, if you're out with friends, try to find a way to keep your phone charged just enough to where, if you need to dial 911 or a friend to have them pick you up, you have enough battery life to make that phone call.

Many phones also have built-in flash lights, and these would come in handy for those areas you might come across that aren't well-lit.

Safety is definitely greater in numbers, and this goes for both women and men. It's especially important to have someone else with you in Northern Colorado neighborhoods with highest crime rates.

When you wear headphones any time of the day while traveling on foot, you could be masking certain sounds that could indicate danger - for you.

A train, a speeding car, an attacker running up behind you - all of these can be heard if you are not wearing headphones. So just take them off. By not listening to music as a pedestrian, you could be saving your life.