Fatalities are climbing to record levels two years into the pandemic. Authorities cite drivers’ anxiety levels, larger vehicles and fraying social norms.
New Jersey had its highest number of pedestrian fatalities in more than 30 years. Last year was also the deadliest on Utah’s roads since the start of the century, as pedestrian deaths rose 22 percent. Washington State ended 2021 with a 15-year high in traffic fatalities. And pedestrian deaths in Texas climbed last year to a record high.
Going into the pandemic, some traffic specialists were optimistic that pedestrian deaths would decline. After all, millions of motorists were slashing their driving time and hewing to social distancing measures.
The opposite happened.
Empty roads allowed some to drive much faster than before. Some police chiefs eased enforcement, wary of face-to-face contact. For reasons that psychologists and transit safety experts are just beginning to explain, drivers also seemed to get angrier.
“There’s a portion of the population that is incredibly frustrated, enraged, and some of that behavior shows up in their driving,” said Mark Hallenbeck, director of the Washington State Transportation Center at the University of Washington. “We in our vehicles are given anonymity in this giant metal box around us, and we act out in ways that we wouldn’t face to face.”
The Five Biggest Reasons for Pedestrian Accidents; https://utahinjurylawyers.com/the-five-biggest-reasons-for-pedestrian-accidents/
#1: Poorly Marked Crosswalks - Intersections are a hotspot for pedestrian accidents. If you’re a pedestrian, only cross the street if there’s a signaled crosswalk. Newtown needs to install TS60-RRFB LED Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the N Sycamore St/Silo Dr intersection. RRFBs are used to supplement warning signs at uncontrolled intersections or mid-block crosswalks. [More info about this... https://bit.ly/3fcFYzy]
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