How far will your car go before stopping? at 25 mph? at 35 mph? at 45 mph?
Between 14% and 17% of all traffic deaths involve pedestrians, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).? Children represent 43% of pedestrian accidents and, of those, nearly 3% result in death.
Street Smart, a pedestrian and bicyclist safety program begun in the greater Washington, D.C. area in 2002, has produced TV spots as part of its Spring 2010 Campaign to create public awareness and law enforcement.
“The goals of the campaign are to change motorist and pedestrian behavior, and reduce pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and injuries, by:
- Increasing awareness of the consequences of pedestrian and bicycle crashes
- Recommending actions to reduce risks, such as:
- Use Crosswalks
- Obey Signals
- Look Left-Right-Left
- Slow Down
- Stop for Pedestrians
- Increasing awareness of law enforcement action against unsafe and illegal behavior”
For more information, including Pedestrian and Cycling Tips, go to bestreetsmart.net.
I don’t mean to flood this blog with comments but exact speeds do not matter. Why? Stopping distance also depends in large part on driver awareness and how good your vehicle is at stopping. There are too many factors. Also, don’t believe the government ‘stopping standards’ because most modern cars can break from 60-0 in 1/2 to 2/3 of the times listed.