Illinois Injury Law Blog

According to a recent report by Governor's Highway Safety Association pedestrian accidents increased during the first half of 2010, even as the overall number of traffic fatalities continued to decline.

A total of 135 fatalIllinois pedestrian accidents were reported in 2008, or 12.9% of all traffic fatalities according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

This equated to 1.05 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 population throughout the state of Illinois in 2008.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys find the preliminary data for 2010 significant due to the fact that it’s the first time in 4 years there has been an increase in pedestrian fatalities. In fact, pedestrian fatalities nationwide decreased from 4,892 in 2005 to 4,091 in 2009, averaging a decline of 200 per year.

According to the preliminary data for Illinois, there were 4 less pedestrian fatalities in the first 6 months of 2010 than in 2009. But the overall number of fatalities in Illinois inched up last year, bucking the national trend. Safety advocates are concerned the downturn in traffic fatalities will reverse itself as the economy continues to recover.

GHSA Chairman Vernon F. Betkey Jr. notes, "Nationally, pedestrian fatalities account for about 12 percent of overall traffic deaths, a small but significant portion. Given that we have made so much progress in this area, GHSA is concerned to see this reversal. One factor may be the increased distractions for both pedestrians and drivers. Anyone who travels in a busy city has seen countless pedestrians engrossed in conversation or listening to music while crossing a busy street. Just as drivers need to focus on driving safely, pedestrians need to focus on walking safely – without distractions."

The Spotlight on Highway Safety Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities Study points to a couple of reasons for pedestrian fatality changes. States that have very few fatalities can go from a good year to a bad one by just 1 or 2 fatalities occurring. Another reason for the changes is the different causes that can lead to pedestrian fatalities like alcohol consumption or the age of children killed in accidents.

The final reason for change is the amount of walking that takes place in states. For instance, it is likely the pedestrian miles traveled in New York are much higher than miles traveled in Iowa. Opportunity is key for some states that have more of a likelihood of people traveling by foot in big cities like Chicago-- Illinois was ranked 12th in the nation in pedestrian fatalities for 2009.

Most health professionals are encouraging Americans to start walking more in order to maintain a healthier heart and lifestyle. Illinois pedestrians should listen to their doctor but be careful of not getting distracted while walking the busy streets of Chicago.