HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, March 23, 2021 (HealthDay Information) — Even if Individuals have been driving much less through the pandemic, pedestrian deaths per mile in the US spiked 20% within the first half of 2020, new analysis exhibits.
The culprits? Will increase in dashing, distracted and impaired driving, and different harmful driving behaviors, researchers mentioned.
Factoring in a 16.5% discount in car miles traveled nationwide, the speed of pedestrian deaths rose from 1.8 deaths per billion miles traveled in 2019 to 2.2 in 2020, in response to the report from the Governors Freeway Security Affiliation (GHSA).
It additionally mentioned that pedestrians accounted for 17% of all visitors deaths in 2019, in comparison with 13% in 2010. Pedestrian deaths have risen by 46% over the previous decade, whereas all different visitors deaths elevated by solely 5%.
“Strolling shouldn’t be a life and loss of life enterprise, but many elements have mixed to place pedestrians at historic ranges of threat,” GHSA Govt Director Jonathan Adkins mentioned in an affiliation information launch.
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“The visitors security group ought to give attention to a complete strategy that makes use of each instrument accessible to save lots of lives, together with engineering, group outreach, emergency response and equitable enforcement that prioritizes the prevention of driving behaviors — like dashing, distraction and impairment — that pose the best threats to non-motorized highway customers,” he mentioned.
In 2019, charges of pedestrian deaths amongst nonwhite populations had been greater than amongst whites.
Most pedestrians are killed on native roads, at nighttime and away from intersections, suggesting the necessity for safer highway crossings and higher pedestrian visibility by way of improved lighting and different measures, in response to the report.
Through the previous 10 years, the variety of pedestrian killed after darkish elevated by 54%, in comparison with a 16% rise in pedestrian deaths in daylight.
In almost half of pedestrian deaths, alcohol impairment was reported within the driver and/or pedestrian.
Passenger automobiles are the car sort most frequently concerned in pedestrian deaths, however during the last decade the variety of pedestrian deaths involving sport utility autos elevated at a sooner fee (69%) than pedestrian deaths involving passenger automobiles (46%).
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Extra data
The U.S. Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Affiliation has extra on pedestrian safety.
SOURCE: Governors Freeway Security Affiliation, information launch, March 23, 2021
