Walking is a great way to get around. It also improves your health and helps the environment. But in New York and elsewhere, it can turn fatal if precautions are not taken.
A study shows pedestrians should stay more alert to avoid injuries or worse.
What You Need To Know
- New York is the sixth-most dangerous state for female pedestrians
- Almost 40% of all New York pedestrian accidents have female victims
- 1,310 pedestrians were killed in New York between 2017 and 2021; 485 of those were women
Recent data reveals the states with the highest percentages of female pedestrian fatalities, and New York ranked sixth.
Conducted by Suzuki Law Offices, the research utilized data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) spanning from 2017 to 2021. The analysis focused on the percentage of female pedestrians killed in fatal crashes.
One Central New York traffic officer that has covered numerous fatal pedestrian crashes says fault in the accidents can vary. It can be the drivers of vehicles, but many times, it's the pedestrian making unsafe choices.
"Crossing within the crosswalks, you know, crossing at an intersection, the intersections are designed to assist the pedestrian getting across the roadway. There's crosswalks, there's traffic signals, the pedestrian signals, all those things are out to get pedestrians safely get across the roadway, crossing the road and other places other than the intersection can be hazardous," says Lonnie Dotson Jr., Syracuse police traffic officer.
Dotson added that for walkers and drivers to pay attention, to truly stay safe, to stay off phones while driving or walking. It's also recommended to walk against traffic and wear reflective gear or bright clothing.
In New York, female pedestrians account for almost 40% of total pedestrian fatalities, or 485 out of 1,310 between 2017 to 2021.
Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of female pedestrian fatalities. Almost half its pedestrian fatalities were women in the years studied.