October is National Pedestrian Safety Month, and The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Region 7 is participating in the Everyone is a Pedestrian safety campaign.
There was a nearly four percent increase in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2020, totaling 6,516 deaths. On average, a pedestrian was killed every 81 minutes and injured every 10 minutes in traffic crashes in 2020. Inattentive driving and speeding are two of the top causes of crashes along the roadside and within work zones. The Move Over law, enacted in all 50 states, requires drivers to slow down and, if safe, move over when approaching stopped emergency vehicles with emergency lights activated.
Every state also has a law requiring drivers to stop when a school bus stop arm is extended. From 2010 to 2019, there were 1.6 times more fatalities among pedestrians than occupants of school transportation vehicles.
Wearing bright colors during the day and using lights or reflectors when it is dark outside can help decrease crash risks for pedestrians. Most pedestrian crashes (77%) happen when it is dark outside; wearing reflective material, a blinking light, or carrying a flashlight makes it easier for a driver to see a pedestrian.
A link to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s campaign website can be found at the bottom of the article online.