Stats Show That Distracted Drivers And Pedestrians Don’t Mix

Pedestrian safety is a major issue in the U.S. Consider these facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• In the next 24 hours, on average, 445 people will be treated in an emergency department for traffic-related pedestrian injuries
• In the next two hours, on average, one pedestrian will die from injuries in a traffic crash
• In 2012, more than 4,743 pedestrians were killed in traffic deaths 2012, and another 76,000 were injured

According to the Pew Research Center, more than half of all adult cell phone users have been on the giving or receiving end of a distracted walking encounter. When you combine distracted driving with distracted walking, it’s no wonder that the number of accidents has sharply increased.

Young adults (in particular those ages 18-24) are especially prone to experience these “distracted walking” encounters. Teenagers are now at the greatest risk of being killed or injured in traffic accidents as pedestrians. They have a death rate twice that of younger children and account for half of all child pedestrian deaths.

Teens aren’t along when it comes to distracted walking accidents. According to statistics from Loyola University Health System, senior citizens make up 13 percent of the population but account for 23 percent of all pedestrian fatalities.

Tips that all pedestrians are wise to follow include:

• Turn down the electronics so you can hear horns and be more alert
• Cross the street at designated crosswalks or intersections
• Wear reflective clothing at night
• Step aside to look at directions or other information on your smartphone
• It’s safest to walk on a sidewalk, but if one is not available, walk on the shoulder and face traffic

At Bashore Green, we understand the devastating effects of being injured in an auto accident in metro Detroit caused by a distracted driver. Contact us if you or those close to you have suffered a recent accident.