Davis Law Group, P.S.

Pedestrian Accidents Happen - Sad Statistics

It's a sad fact in the United States that every 120 minutes a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident, and one is injured every eight minutes. Every year, almost 5000 pedestrians die in motor vehicle collisions. In 2005, there were 64,000 traffic-related pedestrian injuries. One in every five children between the ages of five and nine who were killed in traffic crashes was a pedestrian. Intersections are particularly dangerous, accounting for 45% of pedestrian crashes. These accidents not only affect people's lives, but take a toll on the economy in general.

These statistics are frightening. Despite decades of work to make pedestrian travel safer, the reform of traffic laws, improvements in intersection and crossing design, and the raising of public awareness, pedestrian accidents happen much too often.

Though we travel on them every day, few people realize how complicated and hazardous roads can be. There are all kinds of dangers that we have to look out for all the time. A moment's inattention or distraction can turn a pleasant stroll on a quiet street into a terrible tragedy that can end in a lifetime of pain-or worse, the death of a loved one. This is particularly true in the case of children, who are often unaware of the dangers of playing near traffic. The single highest pedestrian accident rate is for five- to nine-year-old boys, who are more likely to dart out into traffic without warning. These accidents tend to be very serious because they frequently occur at or near intersections, where drivers are traveling much faster. The elderly are also a high-risk group. Though older people tend to be more cautious, their injuries are usually more severe when they are involved in a collision with a motor vehicle. The elderly suffer almost twice the risk of death compared to children under the age of 14.

Sources:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811163.pdf
NHTSA statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/Pedestrian_Safety/pedstrian.html
http://www.walkinginfo.org/pedsafe/crashstats.cfm, NHTSA