Tucson Velo has been singularly focused on cycling but it’s become apparent that pedestrian issues in Tucson deserve more coverage.
Walking in Tucson poses its own set of issues that, on the surface may not seem to be related to cycling. But many issues like distracted driving affect all vulnerable road users.
While the majority of posts on Tucson Velo will still be about cycling, expect to see more posts about pedestrians too.
With that in mind, the Arizona Daily Star post by Becky Pallack is worth a read. Here’s an excerpt:
Days since the last fatal pedestrian accident: 12. Maybe Tucson should put up one of those signs you see at construction sites.
It’s been 12 days since a person was killed while walking on a sidewalk.
Before that, Tucson also had gone 12 days without a fatal pedestrian accident. Before that, eight days.
It doesn’t take a team of safety experts to tell us our record isn’t acceptable, but Tucson’s new Pedestrian Safety Task Force is working on solutions. Here’s what it has come up with so far.
The commenters on the post seem to have the belief that pedestrians bear the sole responsibality for their safety and incorrectly suggest that all pedestrian deaths happen when someone crosses outside of a crosswalk. The comments can be eye opening, if you have the stomach for it.
It’s part of the bigger issue of overall public health. Plus we’re all pedestrians at some point.
It’s part of the bigger issue of overall public health. Plus we’re all pedestrians at some point.
A theme of the comments to the AZ Star piece is that pedestrians cause the majority of pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents.
Are there any statistics that demonstrate if that’s true?
I don’t know if the statistics have been calculated for the distribution of blame in car vs. pedestrian accidents, but no matter the case, both drivers and pedestrians bear responsibility for being safe. Problems won’t be solved if blame is just shifted to one side. I’ve seen pedestrians being unsafe probably about as many times as I’ve seen drivers being unsafe. My observations aren’t statistically significant, but they’re sufficient to suggest that overall safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists will only improve when takes responsibility for their actions and the potential or realized consequences.
Various NHTSA pages, sheets and findings:
Traffic Safety Fact Sheet–
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811394.pdf
NHTSA on Pedestrians–
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Pedestrians
Research & Evaluation–
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Research+&+Evaluation
Obviously there is a database underlying the above, with all the usual problems of data quality and such. One would have to be a researcher to obtain access to it.
Various NHTSA pages, sheets and findings:
Traffic Safety Fact Sheet–
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811394.pdf
NHTSA on Pedestrians–
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Pedestrians
Research & Evaluation–
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Research+&+Evaluation
Obviously there is a database underlying the above, with all the usual problems of data quality and such. One would have to be a researcher to obtain access to it.
I plead guilty to being a pedestrian several times a week. And, yes, it is scary out there.
As a cyclist who sometimes drives a car, it would be great if peds and riders would do all they can to help motorists see them. Especially at night. Be visible and avoid places where drivers don’t expect you.
I’d wager those are high on the statistics chart.
As potholes are my witness, you can’t miss what you can’t see.
Courtesy requires and the laws assume everyone is looking, but take a look around. How do you assess a blame when the driver isn’t looking and the ped/rider is virtually invisible? Is that a true ‘accident’?
From the link of a couple days ago about riding in Brisbane, Austrailia….cars yield to bikes; bikes yield to peds. Could it be that simple?