Thursday, October 3, 2024
October is Pedestrian Safety Month
October is Pedestrian Safety Month and that's important not just to pedestrians but also motorists and really anyone. Why? Because At some point, we're all pedestrians, whether we're kids walking to school, seniors on their way to an appointment, or parents accompanying their children. Remember that the next time you're on the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers some sobering statistics when it comes to pedestrian safety:
- In 2022, there were 7,522 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in the United States, roughly 21 pedestrians a day and 145 pedestrians a week. That's a 0.7% increase from the 7,470 pedestrian fatalities in 2021.
- On average, a pedestrian was killed every 70 minutes and injured every 8 minutes in traffic crashes in 2022.
- Pedestrian deaths accounted for 18% of all traffic fatalities in 2022 and 3% of all people injured in traffic crashes in 2022.
- In 2022, there were an estimated 67,336 pedestrians injured, an 11% increase from the 60,579 pedestrians injured in 2021.
- The number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2022 was the highest since 1981.
Thankfully, in New Jersey the numbers are down as well. There were 172 pedestrians killed in crashes in the Garden State in 2023, according to the State Police, down from 191 the year before and 217 in 2021. But that's still an average of more than 14 per month, or 3 per week. Of course,there's no finish line to this kind of race. State Police data show so far in 2024 that pedestrian fatalities are 30 percent ahead of the pace from 2023. That would project to 223 fatalities in 2024, and surpass the 217 reported in 2022.
NHTSA also provides some key information about where and when fatalities and injuries occur:
- Sixteen percent of the pedestrian fatalities occurred at intersections, 75% occurred at locations that were not intersections, and the remaining 9% occurred at other locations in 2022.
- More pedestrian fatalities occurred in the dark (78%) than in daylight (19%), dusk (2%), and dawn (2%) in 2022.
- Alcohol use is a significant factor in fatal crashes. In 2022, 48% of all crashes resulting in pedestrian fatalities involved either a driver and/or pedestrian with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher.
NHTSA also offers safety tips for
both drivers and pedestrians as well as a curriculum for safety advocates.
There's a reason why urban areas like New York City and Hoboken, New Jersey, have pushed to lower speed limits citywide to 25 mph.
Research shows that the average risk of death for a pedestrian reaches 10% at an impact speed of 23 mph but rises substantialy the faster a vehicle is traveling. The risk more than doubles to 25% at just 32 mph, and again to 50% at 42 mph. There really is no reason for vehicles to travel faster than that in dense, urban areas where they may share public space with pedestrians, strollers, bikes and electric bikes and more. Traveling isn't just getting from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible - it's about getting from Point A to Point B safely, for everyone.
But it's not just about speed. The prevelance of automatic transmissions in the U.S. make it easier to be tempted to peek at your smartphone while driving, which could be a reason why crashes and fatalities are far beyond other developed nations. While pedestrians also must do their part in paying attention and being aware of their surroundings, motorists must remember that driving is their top priority when behind the wheel of a 2,000-pound vehicle.
Communities in Union County, including
Roselle and
Roselle Park, this year launched Street Smart public safety campaigns. They're the latest in a
long list of communities throughout the Garden State that have taken action to educate the public via the Street Smart campaign.
Learn more here about resources available to your community.