Jogger's death brings up safety discussions

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By Ken McCall, Staff Writer Updated 12:23 AM Friday, August 28, 2009

The tragic death this week of Beavercreek resident Michele Hale has runners talking about their own close calls and ways to stay safe.

Hale, a 44-year-old mother of three, was hit and killed by a vehicle Monday, Aug. 24, while she was out for a morning run. Beavercreek police haven’t released much information on the accident, but it occurred about 6:25 a.m. — close to a half hour before sunrise — as she was crossing Dayton-Xenia Road from the bike trail to Stedman Lane.

While police haven’t said what safety precautions Mrs. Hale had taken, leaders in the running community are reminding people that as the days shorten, runners, walkers and bicyclists need to make sure they wear gear that makes them visible to motorists.

“At the bare minimum, wear something white, but preferably something with reflection,” said Jeff McPherson, president of the Ohio River Road Runner’s Club. “The optimum would be to wear some kind of blinky, battery-powered light source. It doesn’t take very much to make yourself visible in poor light conditions.”

Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jim Gross, an avid runner, said he never goes out in poor light without certain gear.

“While almost all running shoes and even running shorts and shirts now have some sort of reflective material on them, oftentimes that is not enough,” said Gross, who was running in Centerville at the time Hale was hit. “I personally wear a reflective vest and a battery-powered light if it is dark or just beginning to become light in the early morning.”

Accidents of all kinds are the third leading cause of death in Montgomery County, Gross said, behind only cardio-vascular disease and cancer.

“Some people are reluctant to wear the protective gear because it’s either uncomfortable or they simply do not like the look,” he said. “To my mind, the benefits of the safety that you gain far outweigh the negative aspects of maybe looking a little different.”

Wearing the gear is only the beginning of staying safe, runners say. You also have to have your head on a swivel for motorists.

“I look for eye contact, just to make sure they see me and they’re not seeing through me,” said McPherson. “We also don’t recommend headphones. In fact, we don’t allow them at our races, because you have to be aware of your surroundings.”

He also recommends that runners run in groups of at least two and carry some form of identification.

That’s good advice for walkers and cyclists, too. Fatigue can blur judgment.

“You have to be more aware of your surroundings, because you’re suffering, you’re exhausted,” McPherson said. “That’s when you have to be most aware.”

Contact Ken McCall at (937) 225-2393 or kmccall@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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