Transportation America, a coalition of housing, business, environmental, public health, transportation, equitable development, and other organizations, has published a report on the dangers faced by pedestrians in the US. According to the study, while motor vehicle fatalities have gone down over the last several years, pedestrian death rates have fallen only marginally and, in some of the most dangerous cities, have actually risen.

Transportation America attributes the decrease in motor vehicle deaths to stronger laws, greater seat belt use, and efforts to reduce drunken and distracted driving but, according to the study, pedestrian safety has received very little attention from traffic safety and transportations experts at the state and federal level.

The study states that steps are not being taken to provide sidewalks and other safety measures for pedestrian traffic. According to the report, pedestrians make up nearly 12 percent of total traffic deaths. The study's authors state; "These deaths typically are labeled "accidents," and attributed to error on the part of motorist or pedestrian. In fact, however, the majority of these deaths share a common thread: they occurred along "arterial" roadways that were dangerous by design, streets engineered for speeding traffic with little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on bicycles."

Using data on pedestrian deaths over the previous ten years and census data on walking, the study's authors created a Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI) to rank America's cities according to their risk to walkers.

The results are bad news for Florida. Four out of the top five most dangerous cities for pedestrians are in Florida. The cities ranked by their PDI are:







In Florida in 2009, more pedestrians were killed (466) than passengers in motor vehicles (453).








Remember, pedestrians in crosswalks always have the right-of-way. Even if you have the green light, you must wait for pedestrians to clear the crosswalk.

Be on the lookout for motorized wheelchairs on the road. With no sidewalks, a person in a wheelchair has nowhere else to go.

Blind pedestrians with a white cane or a guide dog always have the right-of-way. All traffic in both directions must stop when a blind person is crossing the road.

When driving, be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially around shopping areas, schools, and playgrounds. Don't assume that, because the pedestrian looks at you, that they won't step out into the road. The pedestrian may be assuming that you will stop.

Labels: crosswalk, driver safety, pedestrian right-of-way, pedestrian safety, right-of-way, traffic safety

The installation of red light cameras has stirred up quite a debate throughout the United States between those who feel red light cameras promote safety and those who feel they are an invasion of civil liberties. The debate received more fuel with a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) that showed that red light cameras save lives.

The IIHS study, released on February 1st, indicated that "red light cameras reduce not only fatal red light running crashes, but other types of fatal intersection crashes as well." The study went on to say that "red light cameras have saved 159 lives in 2004-08 in 14 of the biggest US cities and that, had cameras been operating during that period in all large cities, a total of 815 deaths would have been prevented." The study looked at 99 cities with populations over 200.000 and compared the rate of crashes between those cities that had red light cameras and those that didn't. The study concluded that “the rate of fatal red light running crashes in cities with cameras in 2004-08 was 24 percent lower than it would have been without cameras.”

The IIHS study backed up an earlier study by Old Dominion University that compared the rate of traffic crashes before red light cameras were installed at intersections in Virginia Beach, during their operation, and after the removal of the cameras. The study showed traffic crashes were reduced during the period that the cameras were installed.

Those groups opposed to red light cameras argue that the cameras are just a way for local governments to raise additional revenue and that the cameras are an invasion of privacy. IIHS president Adrian Lund was quoted saying; "Somehow, the people who get tickets because they have broken the law have been cast as the victims," Lund says. "We rarely hear about the real victims — the people who are killed or injured by these lawbreakers."

"Red light running killed 676 people and injured an estimated 113,000 in 2009. Nearly two-thirds of the deaths were people other than the red light running drivers — occupants of other vehicles, passengers in the red light runners' vehicles, bicyclists, or pedestrians."

A quick Google search of news articles in just the past month shows that red light runners have been responsible for the deaths of:

• An 11 year old girl who was a passenger in a vehicle struck by red light runner.


• A family of five who were all killed when their vehicle was struck by a red light runner.


• A nun whose vehicle was struck by a red light runner.


• A female passenger riding in the vehicle of a 16 year old driver who ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle.


• A passenger in a vehicle struck by a red light runner.


• Two drivers of vehicles who were struck by red light runners.


• A pedestrian who was hit by a vehicle that had been struck by a red light runner and pushed across the intersection.

These figures do not include the larger number of people who were injured in collisions caused by red light runners.

There is no way to know whether or not these twelve victims might still be alive today had red light cameras been installed but the data seems to point to the fact that red light cameras do save lives and it is possible that some of these innocent victims might have been saved if red light cameras been installed.

In the State of Florida, there is a law that took effect October 1, 2009, which makes a 4-hour traffic school or basic driver improvement course a requirement for all drivers that receive a traffic ticket for running a red light.

Labels: pedestrian safety, red light, red light camera, red light runners, vehicle crashs

Spring has sprung and that means road conditions will be changing. One of the primary issues drivers will face as the weather warms is the increase of pedestrians and bicyclists on the road. According to the Federal Highway Safety Administration (FHSA), pedestrian fatalities make up about 11 percent of all traffic fatalities and there are approximately 4,600 pedestrian deaths and 70,000 injuries in roadway crashes every year. The states with the highest pedestrian fatality rates in proportion to their population are:

1. District of Columbia
2. Florida
3. New Mexico
4. Louisiana

One thing D.C. and these states have in common is a high tourism rate and, with the possible exception of D.C., these states also enjoy a longer warm weather season, bringing more pedestrians and bicyclists out onto the road. That isn’t to say that other parts of the country that don’t enjoy such warm weather have nothing to worry about. Pedestrian safety is an issue nationwide. At this time of year, with more pedestrians on the road, it’s time to review some of the safety issues regarding pedestrians and bicyclists.

A common reason for collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians is that the driver didn’t see the pedestrian in time to avoid hitting them. While this may sometimes be the fault of the pedestrian (due to lighting conditions and dark clothing) it doesn’t relieve the driver of responsibility. A common rule of law is that drivers must do everything in their power to avoid a collision, even if they had the right-of-way at the time the collision occurred. Many pedestrian collisions are the result of drivers allowing themselves to be distracted and not paying full attention to the road.

Another issue is aggressive driving; drivers going too fast for conditions, making illegal turns, or failing to use turn signals. Another common rule of law is that people who are breaking any traffic law (speeding, not using turn signals, etc.) forfeit their right-of-way because others can't be expected to predict their unlawful behavior. So, the burden seems to be on the driver.

To avoid collisions with pedestrians drivers need to:

• Pay attention to the roadway ahead – Don’t just look in front of the vehicle but look at least 12-15 seconds or a full city block down the road ahead.



• Try to predict where a pedestrian conflict might occur – Neighborhoods with no sidewalks and lots of kids, areas where joggers are commonly encountered, school bus stops, and tourist or commercial areas where people may congregate are examples. Be especially alert for pedestrians walking out from between parked cars. Expect someone to walk out in front of you and plan for it.



• Watch your speed – Especially in neighborhoods where lots of people may be out for an evening stroll. The speed limit is set for ideal conditions. Just because it is legal to do the speed limit doesn’t mean you have to. You can be charged with driving too fast for conditions even if you aren’t exceeding the speed limit.



• Watch for bicyclists – Cyclists have a right to use the road and should be given the same respect and space as any other vehicle. Cyclists have a low profile which sometimes makes them difficult to see. Always look twice at an intersection for cyclists before proceeding.



• Be especially watchful for children – Children are always unpredictable and they often don’t realize how fast a car is traveling or the consequences of their actions. Be especially watchful for children when backing out of a driveway. Your visibility is limited behind your car and even small cars can have a surprisingly large blind spot behind the vehicle. More than two children every week are killed in the US by someone backing over them.

Pedestrians also have a responsibility to avoid a collision. To remain safe, pedestrians should observe these rules:

• When walking on a roadway, always walk against traffic – This means you should be facing oncoming traffic so that you can see and adjust to any unusual conditions. It is much easier for you to adjust than for a vehicle that is moving much faster.



• Wear light colored clothing – Don’t make yourself harder to see. You shouldn’t make it harder for a driver who is traveling much faster than you to see you just because you have the right-of-way.



• Exercise patience - If you are unsure of a vehicle’s speed or a driver’s intentions, don’t take a chance. Wait for the vehicle to pass before proceeding. Don’t expect a driver to yield it to you just because you legally have the right-of-way.



• If you are walking a dog, make sure it is on a leash – No matter how well trained, animals are always unpredictable. Don’t force a driver to choose between hitting your dog, another vehicle, or you.



• Teach your children how to be safe pedestrians – Never allow small children to walk on or cross a street by themselves. Teach them to never walk behind a vehicle that could or may be backing up. Children should never be allowed to play in driveways.



• Make your child wear a helmet when they are on a bicycle – Severe brain injury can easily happen at low speeds and most states have helmet laws for children. Teach your children how to ride safely and never let them ride after dark.

Enjoy the warm weather, but don’t forget your responsibility to always be on guard when you are on the road.

Labels: bicycle safety, pedestrian safety