Pedestrian Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month so what better time to remind ourselves that ensuring pedestrian safety on our roadways is everyone’s responsibility. At some point throughout your day you will be a pedestrian, even if it’s just during the short walk to your car from home or work. One of the principles of the Safe System Approach is “Responsibility is Shared” and everyone should be concerned with the number of pedestrians who are injured or killed on our roadways.

According to data from the Connecticut Crash Data Repository, in 2021 in Connecticut there were 1,163 pedestrian crashes resulting in 54 fatalities and 183 serious injuries. This number is slightly lower than in 2020, making CT one of only ten states to show a reduction in pedestrian fatalities from 2020 to 2021, as stated in the Governor’s Highway Safety Association “Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2021 Preliminary Data.” Although that is a good trend, CT is still losing too many lives to pedestrian crashes.

So, what can we do to reduce pedestrian crashes and improve safety? It’s important to be aware and alert both as a driver and as a pedestrian. It is also important to remember that children and older adults are more at risk of dying when involved in a crash. Additionally, the majority of pedestrian crashes occur in dark conditions. Connecticut has enacted stronger pedestrian laws, but that is only part of the solution. Below are some tips on how you can help save lives and improve pedestrian safety.

As a pedestrian:

• Use sidewalks when available or walk as far away from the road as possible, facing traffic
• Use crosswalks when available or yield to traffic and cross only when traffic has cleared
• Be visible, especially at night
• Don’t walk distracted or under the influence

As a driver:

• Obey speed limits and all traffic control signs and signals
• Yield to pedestrians crossing the street and be patient – some may need extra time
• Pay extra attention to areas where pedestrians may be difficult to see
• Don’t drive distracted or under the influence

Working together, we can make an impact on pedestrian safety and reduce the number of crashes that occur on our roads in Connecticut.

For more information on the Safety Circuit Rider Program, contact Melissa at melissa.evans@uconn.edu.

Resources:

GHSA, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2021 Preliminary Data, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2021 Preliminary Data | GHSA

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