The gradual spike in pedestrian fatalities in the US has prompted pleas from law enforcement for drivers to be more aware of their surroundings on the road.
Highway Patrol Captain Robert Whisler says mid-to-large-sized vehicles are popular in the Midwest, and their frames present unique challenges to anyone driving them.
“The height of the vehicle, and then the body lines of the vehicle, and then the cargo area of the vehicle, all add to the inability to see directly around the vehicle.”
Pierre Police Captain Bryan Walz says new vehicles with all the ‘bells and whistles’ are no replacement for a driver’s standard safety practices.
“If we just do like we used to do and, you know, make sure we look left and then look right – and then look left again before we turn, or before we go through an uncontrolled intersection – we can have that potential to avoid a collision with a pedestrian or another vehicle.”
Rapid City Police spokesperson Brendyn Medina says the current trends are a good reminder for pedestrians to protect themselves.
“If somebody feels that just by being in the crosswalk that they’re immediately protected from all harm, that’s not the case. They still have due diligence, for their own safety, to look both ways, make sure that oncoming traffic sees that they’re in the crosswalk.”
Newer models are equipped with sensors, but safety experts warn of drivers becoming too reliant on technology when navigating intersections. A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes these vehicles are more likely than cars to hit pedestrians when making turns. It coincides with a sharp increase in pedestrian deaths across the nation.
Comments