Podcast Summary
NYC's Vision Zero plan: Eliminating pedestrian deaths: NYC's Vision Zero plan has led to a decline in pedestrian fatalities due to measures like lower speed limits, re-engineered intersections, and stricter enforcement. However, the city's complexities and lack of clear evidence in hit-and-run cases pose a concern for complete traffic safety.
New York City's Vision Zero traffic safety plan, which aims to eliminate pedestrian deaths within a decade, has shown significant success since its implementation in 2014. The decline in pedestrian fatalities coincided with the city's adoption of measures such as lower speed limits, re-engineered intersections, and stricter traffic law enforcement. However, the podcast episode also explores a chilling hypothetical scenario, where someone might consider using a car as a weapon to kill a pedestrian in New York City and potentially get away with it due to the city's complexities and lack of clear evidence in hit-and-run cases. The discussion serves as a reminder of the importance of traffic safety and the potential consequences of reckless driving.
New York's lenient vehicular laws and high number of pedestrian fatalities: New York's lenient vehicular laws contribute to a higher number of pedestrian fatalities due to narrow standards for conviction requiring at least two significant traffic law violations, contrasting with other states' vehicular manslaughter statutes that punish drivers for traffic fatalities or serious injuries caused by simple negligence.
While New York has relatively lenient vehicular laws compared to other states, resulting in a low number of arrests for drivers involved in fatal pedestrian accidents, the lack of punishment may contribute to a higher number of such incidents. The narrow standards for conviction in New York, known as the rule of two, require at least two significant traffic law violations, including reckless or criminally negligent acts, for a charge to be brought. This contrasts with other states that have vehicular manslaughter statutes that punish drivers for traffic fatalities or serious injuries caused by simple negligence. The fear of over criminalizing accidents and the belief that drivers are more likely to understand the consequences of reckless use of a gun compared to a car are reasons given for the current state of vehicular laws in New York. However, the potential link between lenient vehicular laws and pedestrian fatalities is an open question.
Pedestrian Fatalities in NYC: A Major Concern: In NYC, pedestrian fatalities account for over half of all traffic fatalities, but only 25% are caused by drivers failing to yield. Pedestrian behaviors and drinking also contribute to a significant number of fatalities.
Pedestrian fatalities are a significant issue in New York City, accounting for 52% of all traffic fatalities, despite making up only 14% of such fatalities in the rest of the country. However, it's important to note that the information we have about who is at fault in these accidents is often biased towards the surviving driver's perspective. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only 25% of pedestrian fatalities are caused by a driver's failure to yield. But, in nearly half of the cases, the cause is unknown or unreported. Pedestrian behaviors such as being in the roadway improperly, not being visible, or darting into the road also contribute to a significant number of fatalities. Additionally, a concerning number of pedestrians killed had been drinking with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher. While it's clear that both drivers and pedestrians need to be more cautious, it's important to consider whether the punishment for reckless behavior should be death. Ultimately, the roads are for everyone, and all road users have a responsibility to ensure safety.
Pedestrian deaths peaked in the late 1920s with around 40% of all traffic fatalities: From the late 1920s to present, pedestrian deaths have decreased significantly, now accounting for around 13-14% of all traffic fatalities, with approximately 4,000 pedestrians being killed each year. This decrease is largely due to policies prioritizing automobiles, leading to road designs favoring faster traffic flow and fewer pedestrians on the roads.
The number of pedestrian deaths per year in the United States reached a peak of almost 16,000 in the late 1920s, accounting for around 40% of all traffic-related fatalities. This high number can be attributed to the larger population size at the time. Since then, pedestrian deaths have significantly decreased, falling to around 13-14% of all traffic fatalities, with approximately 4,000 pedestrians being killed each year. This improvement can be linked to policies that prioritized automobiles over pedestrians, leading to the construction of roads designed for faster traffic flow. This shift resulted in fewer pedestrians being present on the roads, ultimately reducing pedestrian fatalities.
Historically prioritizing cars over pedestrians in U.S. streets: European countries' prioritization of pedestrian and bike safety, public transit, and innovative traffic signal strategies could help reduce traffic fatalities in the U.S.
The design and prioritization of streets, particularly in the U.S., has historically been focused primarily on cars, leading to dangerous conditions for pedestrians. According to Peter Norton, author of "Fighting Traffic," this mindset is so ingrained that when asked what a street is for, most people would automatically answer "cars." However, as Charlie Zegir points out, there are valuable lessons to be learned from European countries, where a deliberate combination of policies, funding, engineering, and enforcement prioritizes pedestrian and bike safety, public transit, and innovative traffic signal strategies. Despite significant reductions in overall and pedestrian traffic fatalities over the past century, the number of deaths is still unacceptably high in the U.S. A shift in priorities and the adoption of European strategies could help make our streets safer for everyone.
Acceptance of pedestrian deaths in contrast to other transportation-related deaths: Urbanization and shared use of infrastructure lead to increased pedestrian deaths. Separating pedestrians and cars can help prevent accidents.
Despite the thousands of annual pedestrian deaths caused by cars in the US, society has largely accepted this tragic toll. This is in contrast to other forms of transportation-related deaths, such as airplane crashes, which would receive significant attention and action if they occurred at similar rates. The increase in pedestrian deaths, particularly in urban areas, can be attributed to the ongoing urbanization and the shared use of infrastructure by cars and pedestrians. One potential solution to this issue is to separate pedestrians and cars entirely, as seen in cities like Minneapolis with its extensive pedestrian bridge system. The High Line in New York City, an elevated park accessible only to pedestrians, is another example of this approach. Emergency medical professionals, who deal with the consequences of these accidents, emphasize the importance of preventing them in the first place.
Assessing Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and Following Rules: Follow traffic rules, avoid distractions, maintain good health to reduce risk of trauma injuries. Pedestrians: 77% were crossing with signal, 67% hit while crossing. Cyclists: wear helmets, use bike lanes.
Emergency medical professionals prioritize assessing airway, breathing, and circulation in trauma patients, with a significant number being pedestrians or bicyclists struck by motor vehicles. Research from Bellevue Hospital revealed that 77% of pedestrians were crossing the street when hit, and 67% did so with the signal. Distracting behaviors, such as using electronic devices, also played a role. For cyclists, wearing helmets and using bike lanes were important safety factors. Interestingly, the study suggested that obese individuals may have a better chance of avoiding injuries due to their extra soft tissue, but they are more likely to have worse outcomes due to associated health issues. Overall, the research emphasizes the importance of following traffic rules, avoiding distractions, and maintaining good health to reduce the risk of trauma injuries.
Prioritizing Safety and Evidence-Informed Decisions: Simple solutions like wearing helmets during high-risk activities can make a difference, but it's crucial to base decisions on evidence from randomized trials, as less than 20% of US healthcare is currently informed by them.
While unconventional solutions like wearing helmets while walking may seem absurd, it's essential to prioritize safety, especially when dealing with potentially harmful situations. The researchers, Frangos and Wall, emphasized that simple solutions like wearing helmets, especially during high-risk activities, can make a significant difference. However, they also highlighted the importance of evidence-based decision-making. In the realm of healthcare, randomized trials are the gold standard for determining what works best. Despite their effectiveness, less than 20% of healthcare in the US is delivered through randomized trials. Therefore, it's crucial to continue the search for actual evidence to guide healthcare practices. Overall, this discussion underscores the importance of prioritizing safety and making evidence-informed decisions to improve our lives and communities.
