Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

30Oct2024

Walking the Line: Reducing Pedestrian Casualties Through Safer Streets

Walking the Line:

Reducing Pedestrian Casualties Through Safer Streets

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. In honor of safety awareness, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is urging drivers to slow down and be on alert for pedestrians.

“Walking is one of the best things you can do for both your mental and physical health, and also for the environment, but where pedestrians and vehicle-traffic intermix, the results can be crashes resulting in injuries and deaths.”

— Dr. David Sleet, a Senior Associate at Bizzell US

While walking has many personal, physical and environmental benefits, it is not without risk. Going by foot can improve local economies and enhance social and community engagement, leading to more vibrant, resilient, and livable spaces. Nevertheless, precautions need to be taken to keep pedestrians safe.

Pedestrian Casualties

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) 2021 data, taken from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian casualties have significantly increased 77% since 2010 (GHSA, 2023).

The NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2022 Data reveals the highest number of driver-caused pedestrian fatalities since 1981, with 7,522 pedestrian deaths in 2022 — that means one pedestrian was killed every 70 minutes and injured every 8 minutes in traffic crashes, 48% of which involved alcohol use (NHTSA, 2024).

“Every day, 20 people go for a walk and do not return home. These are people living their daily lives — commuting to and from school and work, picking up groceries, walking the dog, getting some exercise who died suddenly and violently.”

— GHSA Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Adkins. (GHSA, 2023)

Risk Factors

Road safety experts report common factors in driver-caused pedestrian accidents (GHSA, 2023):

Most pedestrian accidents occur at night. In 2021, reports show 77% of pedestrian crashes occurred in the dark.
Most pedestrian crashes are caused by passenger vehicles; however, the past decade has seen a 120% increase in crashes involving speeding sports utility vehicles (SUVs)
Most pedestrian accidents occur in locations without sidewalks.
Most pedestrian accidents are caused by speeding vehicles, with 90% driving at 58 mph.

Pandemic Frenzy

NBC News reports that we are still experiencing the trend of “pandemic-fueled risky driving” that caused fatal car accidents to increase more than10% in 2022. Despite the reduced traffic during the pandemic, car crashes increase as an increased number of people drove more than usual and engaged in riskier behavior amidst the open highways and lack of law enforcement due to fear of Covid safety and racial profiling. Drivers felt like they could take more risks like speeding, not wearing seatbelts, texting while driving, running red lights, driving aggressively and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Bendix, 2022). As the pandemic subsided and law enforcement returned to roadways the trend of risky driving continues to persist.

Crossing Safely

cording to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), uncontrolled pedestrian crossing, or walkway intersections without traffic controls, make pedestrians especially vulnerable to fatal accidents. The FHA recommends setting traffic controls that calculate adequate pedestrian crossing time at an average walking speed of 3.5 feet per second and less than 3.5 feet per second for wheelchairs or slower walkers (FHA, 2028). Having and using proper controlled crosswalks keeps pedestrians safer.

Safety Practices

As a way to curb risks, the NHTSA urges people to adopt the Safe System Approach to prevent crashes and minimize injuries and deaths. (U.S. DOT, 2024):

Safer People: Everyone behaving responsibly (including drivers, pedestrians and cyclists) to prioritize conditions that get everyone to their destinations unharmed.
Safer Speeds: Promote safe speeds and roadway environments through a combination of thoughtful, equitable, context-appropriate roadway design, appropriate speed-limit setting, targeted education, outreach campaigns and enforcement.
Safer Roads: Design safer roadways — with controlled pedestrian crossing, designated crosswalks, bike paths, and sidewalks — to account for human mistakes and injury tolerances, encourage safe behaviors, and protect vulnerable users.
Safer Vehicles: Expand technology that helps to prevent crashes and minimize the impact of crashes on drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Post-Crash Care: Enhance rapid access to emergency medical care and safer environment for first responders to improve survivability for everyone.

Halloween Safety

For many Americans, Halloween night is the highlight of October family fun and festivities. During this holiday, drivers should be especially cautious and alert of trick-or-treating families with small, costumed children popping out of unexpected places. These kids may be unaware of surrounding traffic and may quickly dart into the street. Slower vehicle speeds and greater roadway awareness during Halloween can save lives.

Shared Responsibility

Keeping pedestrians safe and alive is a shared responsibility for everyone. Bizzell is urging drivers to look out for pedestrians, slow down, and drive with pedestrian awareness. Pedestrians should take precautions to lower risks of jeopardizing safety.

“At Bizzell US, we want to help ensure that pedestrians are safe as they use sidewalks, when they cross the street, or when they get on or off public transit. Anywhere that people walk or bike, they should be able to do so without fear that they’ll be injured.”

— Dr. William Scarbrough of Bizzell US

SOURCES CITED:

Bendix, Aria (2022) Deadly car crashes hit a high in early 2022. Pandemic-fueled risky driving may be to blame, NBC News, Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fatal-car-crash-increase-risky-driving-rcna43969

Federal Highway Administration (2009 Edition) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control devices for Streets and Highways, U.S. Department of Transportation, Retrieved from https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2r3/mutcd2009r1r2r3edition.pdf

Federal Highway Administration ((2018) Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations, U.S. Department of Transportation, Retrieved from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_5/docs/STEP-guide-improving-ped-safety.pdf

Governors Highway Safety Association (2023) Drivers Hit and Killed More Than 7,500 Pedestrians Last Year, Most Since 1981, New Projection Shows [Press Release], Retrieved from https://www.ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA/Pedestrian-Spotlight-Full-Report23

National Highway Traffic Safety Association (2024) Pedestrian Safety, Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety

U.S. Department of Transportation (2024) What Is a Safe System Approach? Retrieved from https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem

9Jun2023

How to Stay Safe on the Road During Summer Travel

By Bizzell Editorial Staff

“The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.” – Dudley Moore

Driving is essential to the daily lives of most Americas, offering convenience, freedom, and access to a world of opportunities. However, many drivers ignore their significant responsibility to prioritize safety on the road. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in 2019, 26 percent of fatal crashes, 12 percent of injury crashes, and 9 percent of property-damage-only crashes in 2019 were speeding-related ^[1]National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2021, October). Speeding: 2019 data (Traffic Safety Facts. Report No. DOT HS 813 194). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One of the primary objectives of the FHWA is to enhance the safety of the nation’s highways. So, it collaborates with state and local partners to implement various safety programs, research innovative technologies, and develop policies to reduce traffic-related fatalities, injuries, and crashes.

While summertime brings thoughts of vacations and exciting road trips, it is a good moment to revisit basic driving guidelines. Take a moment before your vacation, or any long trip, to inspect your car. Doing so may make the difference between easy travel, a vehicle breakdown, or a highway collision. Before you hit the road this summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends you check the following before getting behind the wheel:

Check all belts and hoses. Rubber belts and hoses deteriorate more quickly in the hot summer months. Look under the hood and check all the belts and hoses to make sure the rubber is free from any bulges, blisters, cracks, or cuts.
Check your tires. Inspect your tires at least once a month and before long road trips. Do not forget the spare in the trunk, too! Replace tires that have uneven wear or an insufficient amount of tread. See your owner’s manual for the appropriate inflation pressures.
Check your air conditioning. Everyone is impacted by the absence of air conditioning on a hot summer day. However, the elderly, the very young, and those in poor health may be more susceptible to heat-related problems.
Check your backseat. Children and pets left unattended in a parked car are at severe risk heatstroke or death. Never leave your kids alone in the car. Not even for a minute. Visit NHTSA to learn more about ways to prevent heatstroke.
Check your fluid levels. Make sure to check your car’s oil level as well as other fluid levels, such as brake, automatic transmission or clutch, air coolant, and windshield wiper cleaner.
Check for recalls. Utilize NHTSA’s Recalls look up tool to find out if vehicle has a safety issue that has not be repaired. NHTSA also offers a SaferCar app to check if your car is part of a current recall.

People die every year from car accidents, and irreparable damage is caused due to preventable mistakes. Keep in mind the importance of safe travelling as we all go about our summer plans.

By maintaining focus, obeying traffic laws, and practicing defensive driving, we can significantly reduce the number of accidents on our roads…and get to the beach.

[1] National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2021, October). Speeding: 2019 data (Traffic Safety Facts. Report No. DOT HS 813 194). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

26Jan2017

Bizzell Assists FHWA on Every Day Counts Initiative

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is proud of the continued success of working alongside the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on Every Day Counts (EDC) Summits.

EDC is a state-based model used to identify innovations, shorten the project delivery process, enhance roadway safety and improve environmental sustainability. The initiative was launched by FHWA in cooperation with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), with the goal of implementing innovative technology to improve highway safety, save time and lower the cost of highway and construction projects that would ultimately save American tax payers money.

Designed to facilitate dialogue, encourage creative thinking and celebrate a shared vision for new opportunities, seven EDC Regional Summits are held every two years, in which these summits begin the process for states, local public agencies and Federal Lands Highway Divisions to focus on the innovations that make the most sense for their unique program needs, establish performance goals and commit to finding opportunities to get those innovations into practice over the next two years.

Bizzell provides each summit with a multidimensional communications plan, which includes writing, editing, graphic design, web design and management, media support and publishing services. Additionally, the firm provides logistical support, covering all pre-conference planning and on-site management as well as webcasting for four session tracks within each summit.

Thus far, Bizzell has assisted in creating 11 videos for the FHWA, which have been viewed more than 6,700 times, in addition to conducting live chats through Livestream, with 17 hours of video viewing time and chatting.

The Summits are a huge component of the EDC initiative, which brings together transportation leaders and professionals to establish performance goals and find opportunities to get innovations into practice, and Bizzell is pleased to be a part of this initiative.

“Your team did an AMAZING job making this round of EDC Summits AWESOME!” Stated Thomas Harman, Director, Center for Accelerating Innovation, U.S. Department of Transportation—Federal Highway Administration.

24Nov2014

Federal Highway Administration’s “Every Day Counts” Regional Summits

The Bizzell Group (Bizzell) is currently in the midst of a multi-year support contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Center for Accelerating Innovation (CAI) project entitled “Every Day Counts” (EDC).

EDC is the FHWA’s initiative to advance a culture of innovation in the highway community in partnership with States. Through this collaborative, State-based effort, FHWA coordinates rapid deployment of proven, market-ready strategies and technologies to shorten the project delivery process, enhance roadway safety, and improve environmental sustainability. The EDC model is built on the premise that through a common vision, partnerships and leadership, the highway community can accelerate the adoption of critical practices; practices that in turn accelerate widespread and consistent deployment of innovative technologies and tools to improve the delivery of projects and performance of the system.

Bizzell is supporting FHWA by implementing EDC Regional Summits in several cities across the U.S. The EDC Regional Summits bring front-line professionals together to discuss EDC innovations, exchange creative ideas with their agency and industry counterparts in their region, and provide feedback to FHWA on the support they need to adopt innovations in their own States. Summits are a proven way to gather people with common interests, experiences and challenges in a productive and innovative environment with the purpose of fostering working relationships to create change.

Key tasks include logistical and multimedia support services, including development of 508-compliant registration sites, graphic design and document development of summit program material and online collateral. During the initial run of the tour, Bizzell is also providing Live Web conferencing/broadcasting services streamed to thousands of viewers.

“This is a fast-paced contract,” Dr. Anton Bizzell, CEO of Bizzell, said in a statement. “The EDC Regional Summits offer an opportunity to provide our Federal partners and stakeholders with innovative ways of providing technology and improved collaboration.”

Tag Archives: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)