Who knew that walking could be so dangerous? In April a sixty year old woman was killed in downtown Houston while crossing the street when a car ran a red light and hit her. Last week three pedestrians were struck and killed in the Houston area in one night. Two of them were attempting to cross a busy freeway – a foolish and deadly decision. The other was taking an evening stroll. Pedestrian incident after pedestrian incident is reported by the media – but nothing has curbed the fatality statistics to date. Perhaps readers will find the following information useful before they set out on their next walk.
Those of us who are safely and perpetually ensconced in our motoring machines rarely take the time to realize that more people get from place to place on foot than any other mode of transportation. People walk for health reasons, for leisure or simply because they cannot afford to get around any other way. With millions of cars sharing the roads with tens of thousands of walkers – the formula for accidents is firmly in place. Consider the following statistics compiled by the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA).
*Pedestrian fatalities account for 11 percent of motor vehicle fatalities.
*Over 180,000 pedestrians have been killed in motor vehicle accidents between 1975 and 2005.
*Pedestrians comprise the second largest category of motor vehicle accident deaths following occupant deaths.
*On average, a pedestrian is injured in a traffic accident every 8 minutes.
*On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident every 111 minutes.
*In 2005 a total of 4,881 pedestrian were killed in motor vehicle accidents.
*In 2005, the per capita pedestrian death rate was 1.6 per 100,000 people.
On average there are a greater number of pedestrian accidents and deaths in urban areas because of the greater volume of both vehicles and walkers. In fact, almost two thirds of pedestrian deaths occur on urban roadways. Of these deaths the elderly and young children are the most vulnerable – together accounting for up to forty five percent of pedestrian deaths. In addition, most pedestrian accidents occur on the weekend and most pedestrian children fatalities occur between the hours of 5 and 9 in the evening.
Statistics are valuable if they can be used to educate the general population thereby altering behavior in such a way that brings about positive changes. For instance, a significant number of pedestrian deaths occur because people cross outside of the designated cross walks. This is a fact that has been addressed by a number of organizations around the country on a regular basis. Yet just like other safety campaigns (for instance, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Seat Belts Save Lifess) that are designed to educate the general population – they must be placed before the public on a regular basis to be most effective.
Another common problem in pedestrian accidents is that the drivers often claim they did not see the walker before they hit them with their vehicle. Experts regularly remind early morning and evening walkers and joggers to wear reflective strips on their clothes and shoes. This simple act could save your life. Too, parents should be made aware of the dramatic increase in pedestrian children deaths in the evening hours – often when children are at play outside. Leaving children to their own devices during this time may be asking for trouble.
Unfortunately, though, pedestrian accidents are most commonly attributed to drivers. It’s not surprising to learn that the greatest problem is drivers who are inattentive behind the wheel. Although this is not an article on inattentive driving – it is always a good time to remind readers that simply by looking away from the roadway for a mere three seconds can lead to an accident. In the matter of a few seconds two people’s lives can be changed forever – that of the driver and the walker. Another driver infraction is speeding. Studies have shown that in areas with lower speed limits there are significantly fewer pedestrian accidents. If you live in an area where you believe the speeds are too high to be safe you have the right as a citizen to petition your city council to have it changed. While it is not an overnight process it may be worth it in the end.
Finally, drivers have been cited in pedestrian accidents for also otherwise ignoring the rules of the road. For instance, passing another vehicle in a no-passing zone, ignoring speed limits, not stopping completely at stop signs or not yielding are all examples of the types of seemingly harmless yet potentially lethal – and actually illegal activities engaged in by drivers that result in pedestrian accidents. Simply put, drivers need to be reminded regularly about speed limits, crossing zones, and pedestrian walkways. They also need to be reminded regularly that they share the road with bikes, motorcycles and pedestrians.
Although most of the fault of pedestrian accidents lies with the driver - walking and jogging are increasingly popular activities that may require city engineers and city planners to get into the act to ensure safety. What does this mean? It is the absence of appropriate and safe walkways for pedestrians in many areas that attributes to pedestrian fatalities. Today many communities have developed sophisticated walking zones and hiking trails (and for that matter, bike trails) – thereby encouraging their citizens to safely engage in the pursuit of physical fitness. While this may sound as if it could be costly there are ample state, federal and private organizations that offer competitive grants for just this type of area. Again, ordinary citizens can petition their representatives to pursue this type of funding.
Sadly, other communities leave walkers to their own devices – which often turns out to be nothing more than walking on the actual roadway pavement with vehicles zooming by only inches away. Couple this with a chronic lack of adequate street lighting and it becomes immediately obvious why pedestrians often take their lives into their own hands during a leisurely stroll.
Author Resource:
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston injury lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner Law Firm, which is dedicated to helping victims of accidents seel civil justice. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car or truck accident and would like to speak with a Houston personal injury attorney - call the Baumgartner Law Firm at 2810-587-1111.
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