Hawaii journalists are doing “pretty good” when reporting on pedestrian traffic deaths, according to national transportation expert and former reporter Angie Schmitt. She recently noted a University of Hawaii study, “Public health framing in local media coverage of crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists in Hawai‘i, 2019: A content analysis,” which analyzed the framing and tone of news articles on pedestrian crashes in Hawaii to how these events were portrayed.

According to the study, news articles were primarily factual (59%), but only one-quarter (25%) employed a more humanizing and personal frame.

As a former journalist, I am always interested in learning new ways of better reporting. I ask myself, “Are there better ways to report? Is compassion being shown to the victims and their families? Are the stories accurate? Fair?”

Schmitt, author of “The Right of Way: Race, Class and the Silent Crisis of Pedestrian Death in America,” presented last month before members of the Asian American Journalists Association, Society of Professional Journalists and Public Relations Society of America Hawaii chapters. Though different professional organizations, they are all storytellers. They all can educate an audience, raise awareness of issues and influence policy. Ulupono Intiative sponsored the talk as part of its efforts to advocate for a safer transportation system for the many who walk, bike, roll and bus.

When it comes to reporting, Schmitt said the word “crash” is more appropriate than “accident,” noting “accident” very much implies that there’s no fault, which may not be true. Although still common conversationally, the good news is the UH study indicated that most of Hawaii media uses this appropriate language.

However, they still use the passive voice as in the headline, “A woman was struck and killed.” This can rhetorically distance the driver from blame. In the UH study, 77% of the articles didn’t even specify the driver. The concurrent reporting of traffic delays makes it seem that delay is more important than victims’ lives. The continued use of “counterfactual” information, such as the person was wearing dark clothing or was not in a marked crosswalk, also can shift blame from the driver.

Other conventional reporting helps to lead to an apathy in the public, Schmitt said. Some articles can be “unemotional,” with very little details about the victim. But, media seem to be moving toward portraying the human story or toll, she said. The victim often has a story to tell, and can make coverage more powerful.

Nationwide, pedestrian traffic deaths since 2020 have increased with more than 7,000 people dying annually. Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design report ranked Hawaii 13th among the states for pedestrian traffic deaths. Last year in Hawaii, 93 people died in traffic crashes, with about 40% of those people walking or biking. Evidence from other places show that one factor is speed-encouraging road designs — something we can change. This data continues to demonstrate that the epidemic of preventable deaths and injuries for people walking is getting worse.

Professional communicators can elevate pedestrian deaths as a crisis. If their deadline allows, they can dig deeper into the crash, its cause and circumstances. For example, “How many crashes have occurred on that street? Is there a safe place to cross?” By looking into road design and challenges faced by the crash victim, reporters can raise awareness about the problem — sparking solutions and change. At the same time, save another life.

Stirling Morita is a retired journalist and president of the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter.