Older adults may also overestimate their abilities and grow careless of the safety rules taught them in their youth. Hearing and vision loss, as well as decreases in mobility and reaction time put the elderly at risk when walking on a road or crossing at an intersection. Though most pedestrians walk familiar routes, this familiarity can lead to inattention and carelessness. Additionally, the pedestrian's path can be changed due to construction or other hazards. Many of these fatalities could have been avoided if the pedestrian and the motor vehicle driver had heeded orange work zone signs.
Pavement markings are also cues for pedestrians to safely negotiate the work zone.
However, it is always safest to simply avoid the area. Pedestrian safety remains a major concern. The US Congress has mandated a National Bicycling and Walking Study . Its goals are to double the percentage of all trips made by bicycling or walking while reducing the current number of injuries and fatalities by ten percent. This five year research and development plan, cosponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is designed to contribute to the achievement of these two goals.