Pedestrians are dying at historically high numbers

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) projects nearly 6,000 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. in 2017, marking the second year in a row at higher numbers than in the last 25 years.

“Two consecutive years of 6,000 pedestrian deaths is a red flag for all of us in the traffic safety community. These high levels are no longer a blip but unfortunately a sustained trend,” GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins explains. “We can’t afford to let this be the new normal.”

Two recent trends present an interesting correlation with rising pedestrian fatalities: the growth in smartphone use nationally and the legalization of recreational marijuana in several states. Both smartphones and marijuana can impair the attention and judgment necessary to navigate roadways safely behind the wheel or on foot.

The report discusses promising strategies to reduce pedestrian and motor vehicle crashes through a combination of engineering, education and enforcement efforts. It also outlines specific examples from 41 states such as training law enforcement officers to understand and enforce laws aimed to protect pedestrians; collaboration between State Highway Safety Offices and state DOTs; and policy changes to prioritize safety for all road users, regardless of mode.

The full report is available at https://www.ghsa.org/resources/spotlight-pedestrians18.