Focus on Distracted Pedestrians Loses Track Of Real Safety Issues

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the risks involving distracted pedestrians who are using cell phones or MP3 players while walking are very real. Across the country, several state and local administrations are devising pedestrian safety campaigns that are aimed at encouraging pedestrians to switch off their cell phones, MP3 players and other distracting devices while walking.

Philadelphia will soon launch a pedestrian safety campaign that will be targeted at pedestrians who are walking with their eyes on their cell phones instead of the road. Several other states are also planning similar campaigns. In some states, there are also attempts being made to pass legislation that would fine pedestrians who are distracted while walking.

Thousand Oaks car accident lawyers find that all of this focus on distracted pedestrians seems to take away from the real crux of the problem – the fact that most pedestrian accidents are caused as a result of motorist negligence. More pedestrians are killed every year in accidents caused by distracted, aggressive, and intoxicated motorists, than by their own distractions. An average of 4,000 are killed in accidents every year, and most of these deaths are caused by motorist failure to yield, and other forms of driver negligence.

That isn’t to say that pedestrian distractions are not a problem. Many pedestrians use their cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. If a person is near an intersection or crosses a crosswalk, such behaviors could possibly increase the risk of an accident. However, there are other pedestrian safety factors to blame here, like the behavior of motorists when they near intersections, or crosswalks.

More pedestrian lives could be saved every year, if motorists were educated about the need to look out for pedestrians at all times, especially when they near crosswalks. In so many cases, this does not happen, leaving pedestrians at risk of injuries.