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A AAA study found that the risk of severe injury for a pedestrian hit by a vehicle is about 25% at 23 mph, and jumps to 50% at 31 mph. A 25% increase in risk from a difference of only 8 mph.
As students return to school, school zones and surrounding neighborhoods can expect to see increased pedestrian traffic from students traveling to and from school, whether walking, biking, skating, or riding in a car or bus. Educating children young to look both ways, cross in the appropriate areas, wear helmets, and basic rules of the road can help empower them to manage their own safety, but unfortunately, the reality is that in a collision, pedestrians don’t have much chance against a vehicle.
So, as drivers, it’s important to remember to manage our safety and theirs by slowing down, being vigilant, avoiding distractions, and trying to expect the unexpected.
This year, 15 pedestrians were killed in Nebraska, up 200% from last year. Other factors beyond driver behavior, such as the size and weight of vehicle, larger blind spots, and even road engineering problems such as unmarked or difficult to see crosswalks and poor lighting can complicate matters. However, being aware of the risks allows us to mitigate them, and if we are all empowered to manage our own safety AND anticipate the needs of those around us, we can work towards 0 deaths on our roadways!
October 10, 2024
There are three, crucially important traffic safety observances in the month of October. Pedestrian Safety Month, School Bus Safety Week, and Teen Driving Safety Week. This year, there have already been more pedestrian fatalities in Nebraska than in the entire year of 2023. While motorists can help prevent these deaths by simply slowing down, paying […]
September 6, 2024
Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of the 100 Deadliest Days which have now come to a close with Labor Day weekend. In the traffic safety world, this time period is known for a spike in roadway fatalities, particularly among younger drivers. A lot of this is simply due to the increased numbers of younger […]
July 23, 2024
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an anti-speeding campaign in July, and throughout the country, many law enforcement agencies conducted high enforcement campaigns in their own jurisdictions. Nationally, speeding accounts for about 1/3 of all roadway fatalities, and early 2023 data attributes 39 fatal crashes to speed in Nebraska alone. According to the […]