State officials are urging drivers and pedestrians to be safe this fall.
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, and pedestrian fatalities are on the rise across the state and nation. As fall arrives, shorter days and more hours of darkness bring an increased risk of crashes involving pedestrians, according to an Indiana Criminal Justice Institute news release.
Across the U.S., pedestrian deaths are up more than 50% since 2012. Last year alone, 7,342 pedestrians were killed, an average of 20 people per day, according to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In Indiana, 124 pedestrians lost their lives in 2021, a 33% increase from the previous year and the highest in the past decade. The majority of pedestrian fatalities in Indiana occurred in urban areas and at night, with September through December being the deadliest time, 10-year data from NHTSA shows.
The ICJI is encouraging both motorists and pedestrians to follow the rules of the road. Motorists should always watch for pedestrians, avoid distractions, use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions and follow the speed limit, ICJI officials say.
Motorists should also never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk and should yield and be prepared to stop at crosswalks, officials say.
Pedestrians should follow the rules of the road, obey signs and signals, stay off of cell phones and pay attention to their surroundings. They should also cross streets at crosswalks or intersections, look for cars in all directions and walk on sidewalks when available. If there’s not a sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far away from it as possible, officials say.
Both motorists and pedestrians should avoid using alcohol and drugs while driving and walking, officials say.
