August 31, 2006

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

by State Senator Jon Erpenbach

It’s time for our kids to head back to school and for drivers, it’s time to be on high alert as many of them will be walking back and forth to school.  In fact, it wouldn’t hurt if pedestrians and drivers both brushed up on some safety tips.

Did you know that a pedestrian is killed or injured every seven minutes?  That is what the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration is telling us.  In our area, we have seen too many pedestrian tragedies in recent months, and all of us need to become better roadway users.  The Federal Highways Administration has a Pedestrian Safety campaign underway.  The threefold purpose of the campaign is to (1) sensitize drivers to the fact that pedestrians are legitimate road users and should always be expected on or near the roadway, (2) educate pedestrians about minimizing risks to their safety, and (3) develop program materials to explain or enhance the operation of pedestrian facilities, such as crosswalks and pedestrian signals.

Locally, we are in a unique position this fall as well.  From September 5-8th, Madison will be host to the Wisconsin State Pedestrian and Bicycle Summit at the Monona Terrace.  It is being held in conjunction with the 14th International Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference.  Here walking and biking advocates will meet to discuss various issues, including a program that helps parents and communities design safe routes to school for kids.

Walking is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and can provide a lot of benefits, including lessening the risk of obesity, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.  However, pedestrians must be aware of what’s going on around them.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, some 60 pedestrians are killed each year in our state and more than 1,600 are injured.

Here are some safety tips from the Department of Transportation for both pedestrians and drivers:

Drivers must:

  • Yield to pedestrians when crossing a sidewalk or entering an alley or driveway.
  • Yield to pedestrians who have started crossing at an intersection or crosswalk on a “walk” signal or a green light, if there is no walk signal.
  • Yield to pedestrians who are crossing the highway within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection where there are no traffic lights or control signals.
  • Not overtake and pass any vehicle that stops at an intersection or crosswalk to permit a pedestrian or bicyclist to cross the roadway safely.

Pedestrians must:

  • Yield to drivers when crossing a road where there is no intersection or crosswalk or where the pedestrian does not have a green or “walk” signal and where vehicles have a green signal.
  • Not suddenly move into the path of a closely approaching vehicle that does not have sufficient time to yield for a pedestrian.
  • Walk on and along the left side of a highway when not walking on a sidewalk. Please note: This does not apply to bikes.  Bikes operate under the same laws as other legal vehicles on the road and should always stay on the right side of the road.

Pedestrians should also stay alert at all times.  Nationally it is estimated that the pedestrian was solely at fault in 43% of car-pedestrian collisions and that both were at fault in 13% of collisions.  Take extra care at night, wear light-colored, visible clothing, don’t assume drivers can see you, and always walk on the left hand side of the road or better yet, on the sidewalk.

For more information on the Pedestrian and Bicycle conference, and for other helpful tips and resources on pedestrian safety, check out the following websites:

Safer Journey
An interactive cd and website that takes the user through various pedestrian safety scenarios encountered on a daily basis.  http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferjourney/

Wisconsin Walks
Promotes walking for transportation, health and recreation and collaborates with individuals and communities to create walkable places that are delightful, safe and accessible for everyone. www.wisconsinwalks.org

United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration
They have a pedestrian safety campaign toolkit and links to other great websites as well as information about the National Pedestrian Safety Campaign.
www.fhwa.dot.gov

Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Here you will find the pedestrian safety tips referenced in this article, the state pedestrian plan, and other helpful resources.
www.dot.wisconsin.gov.