Pedestrian Deaths Are at a Nearly 30-Year High
When you head out on foot, you are making a great choice for your health and for the environment. The fact is, however, that – as a pedestrian – absolutely nothing comes between you and the impact of a traffic accident. Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to injuries – and worse – in traffic accidents, and unfortunately, these accidents are on the rise. If you or someone you love has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you need an experienced Central Texas personal injury attorney on your side.
The Statistics
The Governors Highway Safety Association’s (GHSA’s) Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2018 Preliminary Data shines a light on exactly how prevalent pedestrian fatalities are becoming. In fact, 6,277 pedestrian fatalities occurred on our roadways in 2018. This is the highest incidence in almost 30 years. In fact, the statistics get more startling from there:
From January through June 2017 to January through June 2018, there was an increase in pedestrian fatalities in 25 states and in the District of Columbia.
From 2008 through 2017, pedestrian fatalities rose by 35 percent. All other traffic fatalities combined fell by 6 percent over the same time period.
Since 2013, pedestrian fatalities that involved SUVs rose even more precipitously than did those involving passenger cars (50 percent vs. 30 percent).
The numbers are in, and pedestrian fatalities are on the rise.
Causative Trends
The GHSA forwards several trends that likely play a role in this dangerous increase in pedestrian accidents:
More and more people are walking to work, and with more pedestrian traffic come more dangerous pedestrian accidents.
The majority of pedestrian fatalities occur at night, on local roads, and away from intersections. This suggests that pedestrians need to engage in safer practices when it comes to crossing our roads.
Distracted drivers and drivers who speed pose increasingly significant dangers for pedestrians. Further, being under the influence of alcohol (driver and/or pedestrian) was a factor in nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities in 2017.
Ultimately, the report’s author states that “(c)rossing the street should not be a death sentence.” When you take to the streets of Central Texas on foot, always put safety first and proceed with caution.
The State of Texas
The State of Texas was one of five states – including California, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia – that accounted for almost half of all pedestrian fatalities in 2018. While these five states represent about a third of the country’s overall population, they endured nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities.