Pedestrian deaths and injuries in marked crosswalks should grab everyone’s attention.
Why do pedestrians in hopefully "safe" marked crosswalks so often meet with injury or death? Why is there real risk, and how can the pedestrian improve chances of crossing alive?
I’ve noted some interesting data during the past few weeks, in a regular round-trip commute on Ala Moana, Nimitz Highway and King Street from University Avenue to the airport.
Crossing many crosswalks with and without traffic signals, I kept careful count while stopped at these crosswalks, of how many pedestrians seemed to be paying any attention to the traffic lanes they were about to cross in their journey from curb to curb. The results were fascinating.
In the first group of 100 pedestrians counted, only 17 appeared to even glance at the lanes they were crossing in their walk. This seemed incredible. A second hundred I counted did a little better: 18 walkers at least appeared to look at the lanes. A third group netted only 16 who seemed interested in their fate against oncoming traffic.
Combining groups, 83 percent who appeared to be crossing with perfect faith in the protection of the crosswalk seemed to be watching the countdown light at the far curb, texting or otherwise were engaged, looking anywhere except the possible source of an approaching vehicle.
Motorists, despite care and concern for pedestrians, for many reasons — weather, lighting issues such as darkness or glare, or darkly clothed pedestrians — may not see a pedestrian until too late. Pedes- trians crossing several lanes must realize that one or two stopped cars does not mean other lanes are safe to cross. Right turns are another trap when the right lane is open.
Hawaii’s pedestrian death rate is fifth-highest in the country. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average one pedestrian in the U.S. is killed every two hours. In 2010, 4,208 died and 70,000 were injured. Sixty-nine percent were men.
On two-lane roads, there was no difference whether there was a crosswalk or not (www.walkinginfo.org/ pdf/r&d/crosswalk_021302.pdf Opens in a new tab).
On heavily traveled highways with three or more lanes, there were more deaths in marked crosswalks than in unmarked ones. This suggests that pedestrians crossing several lanes in a crosswalk have a dangerously false sense of security. Clearly, pedestrians should check each lane for possible traffic before stepping into it.
Drivers would surely appreciate pedestrians’ efforts to reduce their risk of sudden death by simply looking at lanes about to be crossed that might contain an oncoming or suddenly starting car. Not to do so is truly Russian roulette.
Put away the cellphone. Look, listen and check all the lanes you are about to cross. Look out for oncoming traffic — it may be aimed at you.
