Pedestrians take risks when they go about their routine business in West Virginia. Cars may pass them in a dangerously close manner. Highways and public streets are not the only dangerous locations. An accident could happen in a parking lot, and a vehicle does not need to travel at high speeds to cause harm. Tragically, statistics from 2021 show many pedestrians are suffering injuries inflicted by careless drivers.
2021 was a deadly year for pedestrians
Alarmism and speculation don’t drive the notion that 2021 saw the worst level of pedestrian fatalities in 40 years. Both the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) compiled information that logs incidents. Per the GHSA, 7,485 pedestrians lost their lives in 2021, a 10.5% increase from 2020, which saw more than 6,700 people die.
A closer look at the data reveals an unfortunate fact. Many children 15 years of age and younger were involved in 2021’s auto-pedestrian accidents.
Causes of vehicle collisions
Pedestrian accidents happen for many reasons. Distractions contribute to numerous injuries and fatalities, and texting and driving ranks as a common cause of collisions. Various forms of impaired driving – such as drunk or fatigued driving – may lead to a terrible incident.
Moving violations also contribute to accident statistics. Speeding undermines reaction time and makes it harder to bring a vehicle to a complete stop. Two additional feet and seconds might be enough to cause a fatal accident.
Pedestrians might find value in taking additional precautionary steps. Avoiding narrow sidewalks and wearing reflective clothing when jogging at night could help. There’s nothing a pedestrian can do to alter another driver’s behavior. If someone intends to drive drunk or speed, they may do so. Those negligent drivers could face civil and criminal consequences afterward.
