Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pedestrian deaths rise 22% in two years

‘Alcohol plays a very big role,’ author of national study says

- By Ed Blazina

Despite improvemen­ts in vehicle safety equipment, it is getting more dangerous to travel on America’s streets and highways whether you’re driving or walking.

And walking while drunk may be no safer than driving while drunk.

A study released Thursday by the Governors Highway Safety Associatio­n showed a sharp spike in pedestrian fatalities, which are up 22 percent in the past two years. That study comes on the heels of a National Safety Council report last month that traffic fatalities in general are up 14 percent in the past two years, the first increase in consecutiv­e years since the 1960s.

Using data from the first six months of 2016, the safety associatio­n projected there were 5,997 pedestrian fatalities last year, up from 5,376 in 2015 and 4,910 in 2014. The study was performed by Richard Retting, safety director for Sam Schwartz Transporta­tion Consultant­s.

Most surprising, Mr. Retting said, is the estimate that 34 percent of the pedestrian­s who died last year had blood-alcohol levels of .08 or higher, which would have made it illegal for them to drive.

“I’ve been doing this for 35 years, so I’m not shocked very often, but that shocked me,” Mr. Retting said. “Alcohol plays a very big role in pedestrian fatalities.”

It should seem obvious, Mr. Retting said, but some people don’t realize that drinking too much alcohol can lead to bad consequenc­es.

“For pedestrian­s, it creates a situation where they are walking in a diminished capacity,” he said. “They can’t react as quickly. And we have to assume there are many more pedestrian­s with high bloodalcoh­ol levels who haven’t been involved in accidents.”

Mr. Retting said data from across the country shows a changing pattern for pedestrian deaths, which account for 15 percent of all traffic deaths. In the past, most pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas, but in the past two years urban pedestrian deaths rose only about 1 percent and deaths in dark, isolated areas increased substantia­lly.

Data shows 74 percent of pedestrian deaths occurred after dark and more than 80 percent happen in travel lanes away from intersecti­ons or on shoulders or driveways.

“We have a distinct profile of

the victim and where the accidents occur,” Mr. Retting said. “We have to recognize walking is a dangerous activity.”

Another aspect pedestrian­s must remember is the increase in distracted drivers, often due to the use of cell phones or other devices. The National Safety Council cited that as a key reason for the increase in traffic deaths in general.

“Pedestrian­s have to presume drivers are coming at them with blinders on,” he said.

Overall, California, Florida, Texas and New York account for 42 percent of pedestrian deaths, but last year 34 states had an increase. In Pennsylvan­ia, pedestrian deaths increased from 59 in the first six months of 2015 to 77 in the first half of last year, a 30.5 percent increase that ranked 19th nationally.

More than 15 pages of the 38-page report detail steps states are taking to reduce pedestrian deaths, but Mr. Retting said more changes in specific areas are needed.

For example, adding or improving streets and installing islands halfway across wide intersecti­ons lead to a 50 percent decrease in pedestrian accidents.

“More can be done and we’d like this report to lead to more action in those simple areas,” he said.

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