The UPoR had an article out last week noting that pedestrian fatalities in the city are down slightly as compared to this time last year but are still substantially higher than they were five years ago. The story doesn’t offer a real strong sense of what’s going on. That’s not a surprise, because the city itself is pretty clueless as to what’s happening and why.
The city actually does have a Pedestrian Action Safety Plan, which provides some additional data:
In 2008, an estimated 22,051,666 vehicle miles traveled happened on city streets, with 345 pedestrian crashes including 9 fatalities.
In 2009, an estimated 20,333,841 vehicle miles traveled happened on city streets, with 297 pedestrian crashes including 11 fatalities.
In 2010, an estimated 19,717,761 vehicle miles traveled happened on city streets, with 305 pedestrian crashes including 13 fatalities.
In 2011, an estimated 19,101,681 vehicle miles traveled happened on city streets, with 252 pedestrian crashes including 18 fatalities.
In 2012, an estimated 19,552,898 vehicle miles traveled happened on city streets, with 299 pedestrian crashes including 21 fatalities.
With virtually all fatal pedestrian crashes happening along thoroughfares.
The rate at which pedestrians are getting hit is pretty consistent, what has changed is that a higher percentage of crashes result in death (2.6 percent of pedestrian crashes resulted in fatal injuries in 2008; by 2012 that had increased to 7.0 percent.) The report offers no insight into what might be behind this drastic increase in the fatality rate. And that, it would appear, is the real issue.
