Posted in: | Mar 04,2019
According to alarming data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, projected pedestrian accident fatalities for 2018 are set to break a 30-year record.
The report estimates 6,227 deaths in pedestrian accidents across the country in 2018. These are not final estimates by any means, and take into account only the first six months of the year, making projections based on previous analyses.
But there is reason to believe that the final toll will be worrying. Pedestrian accident fatality numbers have been steadily increasing over the past decade. According to the data, pedestrian accident deaths will account for as much as 16 percent of all traffic deaths in 2018. The toll for 2018 is also a 4 percent increase over 2017.
The data should shock authorities into action. The fact is that there are more pedestrians walking now in conditions that are markedly more dangerous than before.
For one, there are more drivers now distracted by cell phones and other technologies at their disposal. Besides, pedestrian infrastructure simply hasn’t kept pace with the steady growth in the pedestrian population. Measures to separate pedestrian traffic from motoring traffic have simply not been implemented in far too many parts of the country, resulting in the alarming statistics that we are now seeing. Motorist behavior has also gotten progressively more inattentive over the years. Drivers have far too many distractions toying with their attention while driving. Besides, factors like speeding and drugged and drunk driving continue to be serious threats to pedestrian safety.
It must be noted that pedestrian fatality numbers are on the rise, even as there has been progress in saving motorist lives in car accidents. A major portion of the credit for saving motorist lives should go to auto safety technologies that now allow motorists to survive accidents that would have been guaranteed to be fatal a couple of decades ago. Unfortunately, no such protections exist for pedestrians.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Association points to the fact that most pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas, and on local roads. Many occur doing night time and away from intersections, which shows that street upgrades could definitely help. Making it easier for pedestrians to cross roads safely will play a major role in helping reduce the numbers of these accidents.
The Indianapolis pedestrian accident lawyers at Montross Miller represent families of persons injured or killed in pedestrian accidents across Indiana. If you’ve been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact an attorney at our firm and discuss your rights to a claim.
