Pedestrian safety is an important concern in every community. There has been a growing number of pedestrian fatalities in Arizona during 2016. Distraction on the roadways is a significant factor. Additional factors include cell phone use, speeding, high speeds on six-lane roads, significant distances between intersections, impaired driving, pedestrian activities and a growing need to re-design roads made for cars to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
One study noted Arizona as the sixth worst state in the nation for pedestrians and ranked the Phoenix area, along with Scottsdale and Mesa, as the 16th worst region in the nation out of 105 regions for pedestrians. In total, there were 198 pedestrians killed in Arizona in pedestrian-versus car accidents during 2016 which was a greater than 29 percent increase when compared to 153 pedestrian fatalities in 2015.
The total number of pedestrians seriously injured or killed in Phoenix during 2016 was 100 which was a 56 percent increase when compared to 2012 when 64 pedestrians were seriously injured or killed in Phoenix. Pedestrian fatalities in Phoenix area close to doubled from 41 in 2012 to 81 in 2015. There were a total of 77 pedestrian fatalities in Phoenix in 2016. Safety and infrastructure improvements are top on the list to try to limit the number of pedestrian accidents. Victims and their families have legal resources available to them to help with the physical, financial and emotional costs of a pedestrian accident.
Pedestrians need to be protected on the roadways and should be familiar with legal protections available to help them when they have been harmed in a pedestrian accident. Legal options are available to help both victims and their families following a fatal pedestrian accident or pedestrian accident that results in injuries.
Source: San Tan Sun News, “Pedestrian deaths growing, family mourns Chandler woman killed,” Jim Walsh, May 19, 2017
