Pedestrians are in the worst possible position if they’re hit by a vehicle. They have no way to protect themselves, and they could suffer severe injuries or pass away as a result of the damage to their bodies.
Both drivers and pedestrians have a responsibility to be safe on and around the roadways, because pedestrian accidents are among the worst. There is a high potential for fatalities or serious injuries due to the speed, force and impact of this kind of collision.
In 2018, Massachusetts had 78 reported pedestrian fatalities. In the majority of cases, those pedestrians were male. They were also more likely to be at least 55 years old at the time of the incident.
It is interesting to note when these crashes are most likely to occur. Usually, fatal pedestrian crashes happen between 3 p.m. and midnight. Between 2014 and 2016, around 60% of pedestrian deaths occurred during those hours. Additionally, months between October and December are more likely to see deaths in pedestrian crashes. This could be a result of various factors like the weather and the fact that drivers don’t expect to see pedestrians out walking in the cold.
What are the greatest risk factors for pedestrians?
Pedestrians in Massachusetts are at risk because of several factors including:
- Poor lighting
- A lack of traffic lights
- Few pedestrian crosswalks
- Few sidewalks
Some of the factors that pedestrians should know and can take action to eliminate include actions such as:
- Walking during non-daylight hours
- Running out into the road without looking
- Walking in the roadway at night
- Wearing dark clothing
It is important for pedestrian safety to be improved. The state focuses on improving local law enforcement and working with agencies to create safer conditions for travel. Public awareness campaigns are also used to help let both drivers and pedestrians know about the risks on and around the roadways.
All of these steps combined could help people stay safer when they’re walking on or near roadways. If you plan to go out, wear bright colors, walk during daylight hours when you can and take care to pay attention to what’s going on around you.
