While overall US traffic deaths have been steadily falling, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities have reached a nearly 30-year high.
Pedestrians and automobiles sharing a street crossing | Tyler Olson / Shutterstock
There are many excellent reasons to choose to travel under your own power. Unfortunately, by the latest estimates of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the risk of getting hit by a car has increased by a jaw dropping 35% in the last 10 years, with the biggest jump correlated to the overall increase in size of vehicles. Let’s face it, sharing the road with automobiles has always been dodgy, excuse the pun, but this new insight only serves to talk us down from healthy initiatives, and redoubles any parent’s fear of allowing children anywhere near a street.
“Crossing the street should not be a death sentence,” - GHSA report author Richard Retting
Traffic safety advocates, bureaucrats, and members of congress agree, we’re going in the wrong direction, and they blame a host of contravening forces. However, with systemic underfunding, and so many fingers pointing in different directions, efforts to develop policies to reduce these horrific accidents have been weak and elusive. Here’s what the traffic safety experts name as lead contributors to the problem.
Illuminated walk signal | Steven Good / Shutterstock
Larger vehicles America’s love affair with pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles means pedestrians and bicyclists are going toe-to-toe with bigger, heavier vehicles, with longer stopping distances, hindered by reduced visibility. The number of SUVs involved in pedestrian deaths has increased by a staggering 50 percent since 2013.
Driver distraction It’s no longer headlines that drivers are tragically distracted by smartphones and an increasing amount of cabin gadgets. Large vehicles also promote a lull of invulnerability, that often equates to diminished driver vigilance.
Road design Policies, standards, and funding mechanisms continually produce bigger, faster, roadways that are more dangerous for people. High speeds and traffic volume are prioritized over the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists.
More people sharing the road People are adopting healthier lifestyles, walking and cycling more, and moving into urban areas. The number of Americans walking to work has increased by about four percent between 2007 and 2016, and people are seeking trendy walkable downtowns for their leisure time. It comes down to basic numbers, the more people on foot, the more opportunities for an encounter with a vehicle.
Pedestrian distraction Inattentiveness out of cars is also a factor. Pedestrians, more often than not, can be spotted listening to music or walking chin-to-chest with device in hand. Sport cyclists know how the scoring works in a collision with a motor vehicle, and tend to be vigilant, but even they can succumb to the latest distractions of body and performance tracking devices.
What’s being done?
Excerpt from GHSA report:
“In addition to examining pedestrian fatality crash characteristics, the report also discusses comprehensive strategies to reduce pedestrian and motor vehicle crashes, addressing promising infrastructural, educational and enforcement approaches. It also outlines specific examples from a majority of states, such as: targeted law enforcement efforts; outreach in high-risk areas; pedestrian safety assessments and road safety audits; support for engineering efforts; and adoption of Complete Streets policies.”
What we can do
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Xxxx & Xxxx Personal Injury Lawyers are experienced with all vehicle injuries including those sustained by pedestrians and bicyclists. If you’ve been hurt in an accident with a vehicle and need representation or advice, call us for a free consultation. (xxx) xxx-xxxx, or contact us here.