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October is National Pedestrian Safety Month: Learn How You Can Stay Safer

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration of the United States of America are commemorating October as National Pedestrian Safety Month and redoubling their efforts to enhance pedestrian safety. The Department of Transportation has created a set of free tools for partners, states, local communities, and anyone else who is concerned.

The focus on pedestrian safety comes as statistics shows that 6,205 pedestrians were killed in road collisions in the United States in 2019. Pedestrian fatalities continue to be disproportionately represented among older individuals, Black and Indigenous people, and people walking in low-income neighborhoods.

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.

Each week in October will be dedicated to a different theme

Each month has a difference focus. Everyone Is a Pedestrian Week, which runs from October 4 to 11, promotes the numerous advantages of walking and encouraging safer transportation systems that would encourage more people to walk.

Safe Speeds Save Lives, which runs from October 11 to 15, reminds drivers that speed restrictions are not just suggestions. The danger of pedestrian fatality rises substantially as vehicle speed rises. Slower speeds have the potential to save lives.

The Safe Vehicles campaign, which runs from October 18 to 22, encourages people to learn about new technologies that can help protect pedestrians. These include pedestrian automatic emergency braking, backup cameras, pedestrian-friendly front structures, and better headlights for identifying pedestrians, amongst others.

Safe Roads, which runs from October 25 to 29, promotes the notion that a Complete Street is comfortable for all users and feels safe to them.

As part of Pedestrian Safety Month, the Department of Transportation is urging stakeholders to learn more about the safe system approach, which is founded on the idea that everyone is responsible for road safety, including those who plan, design, build, operate, and utilize our transportation system.

The components of the safe system approach

Encourage individuals who use our roadways to be safe and responsible, and establish conditions that emphasize their ability to get at their destination safely. Using a mix of smart, targeted, context-appropriate communication efforts, prudent enforcement, the setting of appropriate speed limits, and road design, promote safer speeds in all highway situations.

Design highway settings to accept human errors and harm tolerances to encourage safer behaviors and to allow safe transport by the most vulnerable users. Make more vehicle designs and features available that assist to prevent collisions and reduce the effect of crashes on both occupants and non-occupants.

Improve the chances of individuals surviving vehicle accidents by providing quick access to emergency medical care. Create a safe working environment for critical first responders and avoid secondary collisions by implementing effective traffic incident management procedures.

If you have suffered in a pedestrian accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas now at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation.