Conditions during the last couple of years have made safety concerns rise for pedestrians. Merely walking through your own neighborhood or crossing a street in a marked crosswalk could lead to tragedy and death thanks to reckless drivers. Shut-downs, quarantines and a big shift toward working at home have taken a lot of vehicles off the road on a daily basis, but the pedestrian fatality rate still keeps climbing.
The statistics paint a grim picture for pedestrian safety
Pedestrian fatalities have been steadily rising in the United States for years now. the Governors Highway Safety Association, deadly pedestrian-involved crashes have risen a shocking 46% in the last decade, while all other crashes have risen just 5%.
Overall, pedestrian fatalities rose 5% in 2020 over 2019 (and 2021’s preliminary data indicates the story hasn’t changed), but another metric is even more telling: When researchers measured the vehicle miles traveled compared to the number of fatal accidents, pedestrian deaths actually rose about 21% in that period.
There’s no one reason for the problem, and no one solution
Experts speculate on a number of reasons for the surge in reckless driving. Some think that it may have a lot to do with the fact that isolation has pushed people to disregard social norms and be more self-involved (and less concerned about others).
Others say that drivers who are already inclined to be reckless are simply emboldened by the less-congested streets. Still others say that the vehicle safety devices – like rearview cameras and lane-departure warnings – are making drivers too complacent.
Whatever the cause, a pedestrian accident can change your life forever. If you’ve been hurt by a reckless driver or your loved one was killed, you need experienced legal guidance to pursue your just compensation.
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