SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 27, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Department of Public Safety, Utah Department of Transportation and Intermountain Healthcare have joined together to talk about the rise in pedestrian fatalities on Utah roads.
Pedestrian fatalities are highest in the fall and winter months. However, Utah has already seen a record high number of fatalities this year, says a statement from DPS.
Last year, there were 45 pedestrian fatalities in Utah. In the last 10 years, the highest number was 49, in 2013. So far this year, there have already been 43 pedestrian fatalities, and still several months left in the year. Everyone must do their part to stay safe on the roads, the statement says.
“These pedestrian crashes are 100 percent preventable when drivers and pedestrians work together,” said Sgt. Cameron Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol. “Pedestrian safety isn’t about who is right and who is wrong, it’s about saving lives. We must all take responsibility because drivers and pedestrians share the road.
“Think of what you can do now to protect yourself and those around you,” Roden said in the prepared statement.
As the end of daylight saving time approaches, nights get longer and the risks for pedestrian crashes increase.
“We lead busy lives and are frequently surrounded by distractions. We are prone to interruptions in our sleep schedules, but life continues,” said Dr. Harland Hayes, an emergency medical physician with Intermountain Healthcare. “These distractions and sleep schedule disruptions not only affect our health, they make us more accident prone as we operate vehicles and cross streets.
“As we fall back into the winter hours, we have to adjust and compensate for less light and poor weather conditions to keep ourselves and others safe on Utah’s roads.”
The agencies and company provided the following tips to help keep kids, teens and adults safe:
For pedestrians
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When crossing the street make eye contact with drivers, make sure they know you are there before entering a roadway
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Distracted walking is just as dangerous as distracted driving – pay attention to where you are going, especially when crossing a roadway
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Look left, right and left again before crossing
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NEVER ASSUME RIGHT OF WAY, it does not mean you are safe
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Be noticed, wear reflective gear at night
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Do not let small children (10 and under) cross the street alone
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Do not cross an intersection diagonally, unless it is specifically designed for this
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Crosswalks exist at any intersection, whether there are pavement markings or not
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Must walk on the left side of the street facing traffic if no sidewalk is available
For drivers
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Look for pedestrians and expect them to be at corners and intersections
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Always stop for a pedestrian, even if you are in the right of way
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Slow down, stop on red, and look around before turning on a green
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Never pass a car that has stopped in a travel lane until it is determined whether that vehicle has stopped for a pedestrian.
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Be alert and make eye contact with pedestrians
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Crosswalks exist at any intersection, whether there are pavement markings or not
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In the presence of a crossing guard, vehicles must wait for all persons including the guard to completely clear the road before proceeding
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Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully – just because you don’t see someone behind you, doesn’t mean they aren’t there – especially children.
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DO not drive distracted or impaired. With more people out on our streets, the consequences for distracted/impaired driving could have deadly consequences.
In Utah, pedestrians being “not visible” is a leading cause of crashes. Without reflective gear a pedestrian is not visible to a driver until 200 feet, and not recognizable until 100 feet. Zero Fatalities has a video that easily demonstrates the importance of reflective gear.
In the video, the viewer sees joggers, some wearing reflective gear and some not, jog towards the camera. The reflective joggers are visible at 800 feet and recognizable at 600 feet – while the non-reflective joggers are visible at 200 feet and only recognizable at 100 feet. Viewers learn a vehicle only has time to stop for the nonreflective pedestrians if traveling at 25 mph or slower. View this video here.
UDOT and DPS have partnered on a campaign that brings attention to and improves pedestrian safety through education in the form of mythical creatures. This campaign focuses on both pedestrian and driver responsibilities. It can be viewed at Drivermyths.utah.gov and pedestrianmyths.utah.gov.
