The US Department of Transportation and a number of related federal agencies are rolling out a series of campaigns and measures to help reduce the number of auto accidents injuring and killing pedestrians every year.
The month of October is being marked as National Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month, and the Department of Transportation is spearheading efforts to raise awareness about the rights of pedestrians and the need to keep them safe. There has never been a better time to bring awareness to the rights of pedestrians than now. In 2020, an average of 18 pedestrians were killed every day in the United States. A total of 6,516 pedestrians were killed in auto accidents that year.
This is a staggering total by any estimate. It has led to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commenting that Americans now live in a time when it is safer to fly than walk. Other federal transportation officials have also commented on these statistics, saying that it is unacceptable that Americans are unsafe when they walk.
As part of National Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is rolling out a pedestrian safety campaign that specifically focuses on the dangers facing school- going child pedestrians. The campaign warns about the auto accident risks that arise when motorists illegally pass school buses or fail to look out for children who may be getting on or off a school bus. The Federal Highway Administration is also getting involved, and has partnered with the Federal Transit Administration to bring out a guide book titled Increasing Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Accessing Transit. The book is filled with guidelines on identifying the special kind of risks and threats that may arise when people are walking near bus stops and transit stations.
The first week of October focused on encouraging walking as a means of recreation and exercise and as a more sustainable means of commuting. The second week specifically focused on the risks to pedestrians from motorists driving at high speeds. Excessive speed is a major factor in the number of pedestrians dying in car accidents every year.
The third week of October will see a renewed focus on the role of auto technology like pedestrian automatic braking systems to help reduce the risk of fatal car accidents, and the last week will focus on emergency post- trauma care for pedestrians and the role of such care in helping reduce the risk of pedestrian deaths after a car accident.
The Atlanta car crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages. You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.