Several factors contribute to these crashes, but something experts agree has played a significant role in the fatality increase in recent years is the rise of SUVs. Over the past decade, pedestrian deaths involving SUVs jumped up 81%, a bigger bump than any other vehicle, according to the IIHS.
Picture: Peter Carr/The Journal News
- Higher front ends of SUVs are more likely to cause injury to pedestrians’ chests and heads.
- Distraction by smartphones could also be adding to roadway dangers:People — including drivers and pedestrians — can’t stop looking at their phones
- Alcohol — for the driver or the pedestrian:32% of pedestrian fatalities involve a pedestrian with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher, and 17% of those deaths involve a driver who has a BAC of at least .08% (NHTSA)
According to the traffic safety institute, the top three contributing factors to pedestrian crashes in 2018 were failure to yield right-of-way, driver inattention or distraction, and pedestrian error or confusion.
But what about speed: we all know the difference between death or live through the differnce of 50km/h versus 30km/h:
more: Matt Spillane Rockland/Westchester Journal News Published 8:57 AM EST Jan 14, 2020
Streets to live 