KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - An average of 26 pedestrians die in King County each year as a result of crashes involving motor vehicles, according to a report by Public Health - Seattle & King County. The report calls for increased pedestrian safety education and enforcement activities, in addition to convening partners to further explore and address pedestrian safety issues.
“Walking is one of healthiest forms of transportation for people and the environment,” said Dorothy Teeter, Interim Director and Health Officer for Public Health -
Seattle & King
County
. “This report clearly shows that mixing pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic can sometimes be tragic. We are committed to working with our partners to eliminate pedestrian injuries and promote walking as a safe and healthy activity.”
Among the main findings:
Other key findings:
- November, December, and January are especially dangerous months for pedestrians.
- Pedestrian fatalities were most likely to happen during work rush hours and times of darkness.
- People of color made up nearly 40 percent of the deaths. In particular, Asian and Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Alaska Natives were disproportionately affected.
- Forty-two percent of the fatalities were the result of unsafe crossing practices.
- Fifty-nine percent of the pedestrians were killed on roads with posted speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less.
- Almost half of the pedestrian fatalities took place in Seattle, especially in its denser urban areas.
The full report, “A Profile of Pedestrian Fatalities in
King County
,
Washington
2000 – 2003,” is available online at www.metrokc.gov/health/injury. Public Health studied all 103 pedestrian fatalities involving motor vehicles between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2003.
Public Health’s Injury & Violence Prevention Program coordinates pedestrian safety enforcement patrols in some King County communities and provides public education on pedestrian safety. Public Health also chairs the King County Traffic Safety Coalition, which is leading efforts to implement the report’s recommendations.
King County is emphasizing pedestrian safety measures. The Road Services Division has several long-term programs focusing on providing safe walking pathways between neighborhoods and local schools, hosting neighborhood safety meetings, supplying traffic enforcement, installing signage, and constructing more than 75 pedestrian safety projects in the last three years alone.
King County Metro Transit is also in the midst of a pedestrian-safety campaign to educate bus riders about safe methods for boarding bus and crossing streets near bus stops. Posters with the slogans “Be Aware, Cross With Care” and “Look Alive, Watch For Traffic” are displayed on both the insides and outsides of buses, and used in public outreach meetings.
In Seattle, Mayor Greg Nickels has already launched a safety program to reduce crashes and fatalities by changing both driver and pedestrian behaviors. The ten-point campaign utilizes new and existing tools in education, engineering and enforcement. The City is also making regular use of speed watch trailers, increased enforcement and a push for larger fines for violators to, over time, significantly reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions.
Public Health recommends continued support for education, engineering, enforcement and surveillance activities to reduce pedestrian fatalities. Specific recommendations that Public Health is looking to address:
