• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Glen Park Association

Up-to-the-minute news from Glen Park

  • Home
  • Glen Park Association
    • About the Glen Park Association
    • Join the GPA
    • GPA Board Contacts
    • GPA Meeting Minutes
    • Bylaws
    • Neighborhood boundaries
  • News Stories
    • Glen Park News
    • Editor’s Picks
  • Greenway
    • About
    • Greenway Plan
  • GPA Grants Program
  • Crime & Safety
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Volunteer Sign Ups
    • Event Submission
    • Author Submissions

America’s Pedestrian Safety Crisis Isn’t Getting Any Better – SF, Take Notice

March 8, 2018 by Bonnee Waldstein

From Streetsblog USA:

Pedestrian deaths have increased 25 percent over the last five years. Graph: GHSA
Pedestrian deaths have increased 25 percent over the last five years. Graph: GHSA

America isn’t making progress on pedestrian safety, with people on foot accounting for a steadily rising share of overall traffic fatalities.

In 2017, for the second year running, nearly 6,000 people were struck and killed while walking in the U.S., according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association [PDF]. The pedestrian fatality rate remains about 25 percent higher than where it stood just a few years ago.

Other than the increase in driving mileage, there are few solid explanations of the factors at work. GHSA suggests distraction by mobile devices plays a role, as may impairment by marijuana, with pedestrian deaths rising more in states that have legalized weed. Neither explanation has been studied with scientific rigor, however.

One thing that’s certain is that city governments are in position to act on the problem, because pedestrian deaths are concentrated in urban areas. In 2016 alone, pedestrian fatalities in the 10 biggest U.S. cities rose 28 percent. In Los Angeles, the increase was 45 percent.

To reduce pedestrian fatalities, GHSA says states and local governments should focus on the following three areas.

More separation of pedestrians from motor vehicles

Basic pedestrian infrastructure like sidewalks is in surprisingly short supply in many cities. Simple additions like median pedestrian islands can make street crossings safer and protect people on foot from turning drivers. GHSA also recommends timing traffic signals to give pedestrians more time to cross streets without interference from turning drivers.

Better visibility

Three-quarters of pedestrian deaths occur at night when visibility is reduced. GHSA recommends investing in better street lighting, more high-visibility crosswalks, and flashing beacons at crosswalks to make people walking more visible to motorists.

Reduce lethal motor vehicle speeds using engineering and enforcement

Fast driving increases the risk of striking pedestrians and makes severe injuries or fatalities more likely in the event of a crash.

To curb lethal motor vehicle speeds, GHSA recommends redesigning roads with bike lanes, speed bumps, narrower rights-of-way for cars, and automated speed enforcement.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Primary Sidebar

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES


DHB Median Cleaning
Sunday, June 4, 9am to noon

Meet at St. Aidan’s


June 18: Lizard Lady Reptiles at Glen Park Library


July 9: Japanese Taiko Drumming with Kristy Oshiro at the Glen Park Library



Jean Connor: Collage
San Jose Museum of Art
FREE!
The show for this Glen Park resident’s work will run until September 25.

Get Involved with the Glen Park Association


Join the Glen Park Association and help promote our community’s interests. Together, we can secure improvement funds, publicize neighborhood concerns and strive to speak as one voice on neighborhood and city issues.

Membership in the Glen Park Association is only $10 annually and can be purchased online.

Glen Park Association Advertising Sponsors

martin
moroco
martin
moroco
previous arrow
next arrow
Shadow

Current Weather & Air Quality

Subscribe to the blog

Sign Up for Glen Park Association News Updates

* indicates required

Glen Park featured on…

FacebookSF ChronInstagramTwitter

Blog Roll

Coyote Yipps
Friends of Noe Valley Rec Center
Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project
Open SF History
Sunnyside Conservatory
Sunnyside History
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
Tramps of San Francisco
Upper Noe Neighbors

Join the Glen Park Association on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Glen Park Association
4 days ago
Glen Park Association

Loved seeing all this help from our Glen Park community volunteers, big and small, on cleanup day! Thank you everyone who helped keep our neighborhood clean💚 ... See MoreSee Less

Loved seeing all this help from our Glen Park community volunteers, big and small, on cleanup day! Thank you everyone who helped keep our neighborhood clean💚
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Glen Park Association is at Glen Canyon Park.
2 weeks ago
Glen Park Association

Glen Park PSA! ... See MoreSee Less

Glen Park PSA!
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 8
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Copyright © 2022 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in