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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
GHSA previously issued a report finding that 3,434 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roadways in the first half of 2022, based on preliminary data reported by State Highway Safety Offices. A second report analyzing state-reported data for all of 2022 found that roadways continue to be incredibly deadly for pedestrians. There were 2.37 pedestrian deaths per billion vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in 2022, up yet again and continuing a troubling trend of elevated rates that began in 2020.
The report also includes an analysis of 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System to provide additional context on when, where and how drivers strike and kill people on foot. This analysis uncovered a shocking safety disparity for people walking: Pedestrian deaths rose a troubling 77% between 2010 and 2021, compared to a 25% rise in all other traffic fatalities. The data analysis was conducted by Elizabeth Petraglia, Ph.D., of research firm Westat.
To combat this pedestrian safety crisis, GHSA supports a comprehensive solution based on the Safe System approach outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). Each of the five elements of this approach – safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads and post-crash care – contribute in different but overlapping ways to provide a multi-layered safety net that can protect people on foot as well as other road users. The report includes examples of how states are utilizing Safe System principles to improve pedestrian safety.
Most collisions with pedestrians usually happen in cities where there are no cars driving at 110kph. For 99% of cases this can be avoided by paying attention to your surroundings. This applies to both drivers and pedestrians. I “save” the life of several people a year by not driving over them when they just blindly step on the road apparently assuming what ever moves there is going to always see them and stop. For the vast majority of time this is the case but then there’s an exception an now you’re dead.
In general people crossing the road can be divided into three groups. Group A looks both ways before crossing so that they don’t get hit by a car. Group B looks after they’ve already stepped on the road to see what kind of car they’re getting hit by and group C doesn’t even care and just stares forward.
I get hit by cars about once a year. I look both ways, and I don’t J-walk.
My issue is that drivers don’t look both ways. I’m nearly 2m tall, so it’s not like I’m hard to see. I’ve mostly been assaulted through vehicular negligence while crossing near one-way streets, from people turning right on red, and people turning left on 4 lane roads. If someone is coming from behind me at 50 or 60 kph and I am 15 meters into crossing a street, there’s absolutely no way that I would’ve been able to see them prior to me being in their path.
For me, the most dangerous spots as a pedestrian are when you’re walking along a busy road, facing traffic, and you need to cross a minor street or a parking lot outlet. Drivers coming out of those will usually start pulling forward without looking my direction even a single time. It doesn’t matter that they’re stopped. They could start moving at any time if they see an opening in the traffic to make their turn. I’ve nearly been run over a few times because of that.