Pedestrian Deaths predicted to be highest since 1990 in United States
There were 29 Pedestrian Deaths in Connecticut during the first half of 2018 according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Accidents closest to Hartford CC are listed below.
In recent years, the number of pedestrian fatalities in the United States has grown sharply. During the 10-year period from 2008 to 2017, the number of pedestrian fatalities increased by 35 percent (from 4,414 deaths in 2008 to 5,977 deaths in 2017); meanwhile, the combined number of all other traffic deaths declined by six percent. Along with the increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities, pedestrian deaths as a percentage of total motor vehicle crash deaths increased from 12 percent in 2008 to 16 percent in 2017.
Crashes that involved a pedestrian fatality near Hartford CC are:
| Roadway | Town | Date | Time | Weather | Age | Actions prior | Action at time of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BURRITT ST | New Britain | 1/26/2018 | 21:03:00 | Clear | 62 | Crossing Roadway | Dart/Dash |
| FARMINGTON AV | New Britain | 3/10/2018 | 20:45:00 | Clear | 56 | Crossing Roadway | Unknown |
| 63-N | Watertown | 1/23/2018 | 21:18:00 | Clear | 74 | Adjacent to Roadway (e.g., Shoulder, Median) | Entering/Exiting Parked/Standing Vehicle |
| 119 Scrub Oak Road | North Haven | 5/10/2018 | 19:22:00 | Unknown | 65 | Unknown | Unknown |
| OLD COUNTY RD | Windsor Locks | 5/3/2018 | 0:04:00 | Clear | 65 | Unknown | Unknown |
| WARNERTOWN RD | Suffield | 2/21/2018 | 14:54:00 | Clear | 85 | Crossing Roadway | Dart/Dash |
| 75-N | Windsor Locks | 4/25/2018 | 22:06:00 | Rain | 64 | Crossing Roadway | Dart/Dash |
| CHAPEL ST | New Haven | 2/2/2018 | 11:06:00 | Clear | 59 | In Roadway - Other | Dart/Dash |
| 80-E | New Haven | 6/2/2018 | 1:15:00 | Clear | 59 | Crossing Roadway | Unknown |
| ALLEN ST | New Britain | 5/19/2018 | 15:59:00 | Rain | 65 | Crossing Roadway | Inattentive (Talking, Eating, etc.) |
| Wyllys Street | Hartford | 4/19/2018 | 6:04:00 | Rain | 52 | Crossing Roadway | Not Visible (Dark Clothing, No Lighting, etc.) |
| 95 Vine Street | Hartford | 1/16/2018 | 21:53:00 | Clear | 24 | Crossing Roadway | No Improper Action |
| COLUMBUS BLVD | Hartford | 6/15/2018 | 13:48:00 | Rain | 40 | Crossing Roadway | Failure to Yield Right-Of-Way |
| EDGEWOOD ST NO 1 | Hartford | 1/16/2018 | 12:04:00 | Clear | 61 | Walking/Cycling on Sidewalk | No Improper Action |
| EDGEWOOD ST NO 1 | Hartford | 1/16/2018 | 12:04:00 | Clear | Walking/Cycling on Sidewalk | No Improper Action | |
| WYLLYS ST | Hartford | 4/19/2018 | 6:04:00 | Rain | 52 | Crossing Roadway | Failure to Obey Traffic Signs, Signals, or Officer |
| VINE ST | Hartford | 1/16/2018 | 21:53:00 | Clear | 23 | None | Failure to Yield Right-Of-Way |
| 15-S | Hamden | 5/18/2018 | 23:31:00 | Clear | 50 | Walking/Cycling along Roadway Along Traffic (In or Adjacent to Travel Lane) | In Roadway Improperly (Standing, Lying, Working, Playing) |
Many factors outside the control of state and local traffic safety officials contribute to annual changes in the number of pedestrian fatalities, including economic conditions, population growth, demographic changes, weather conditions, fuel prices, vehicle miles traveled and the amount of time people spend walking.
The increasing shift in U.S. vehicle sales away from passenger cars to light trucks (with light trucks generally causing more severe pedestrian impacts than cars) is also a factor. Although passenger cars are the largest category of vehicles involved in fatal pedestrian crashes, the number of pedestrian fatalities involving SUVs increased at a faster rate — 50 percent – from 2013 to 2017 compared to passenger cars, which increased by 30 percent.
Increases in pedestrian fatalities are occurring largely at night. From 2008 to 2017 the number of nighttime pedestrian fatalities increased by 45 percent, compared to a much smaller 11 percent increase in daytime pedestrian fatalities.
Another possible factor contributing to the recent rise in the overall number of pedestrian fatalities could be the large growth in smartphone use over the past decade, which can be a significant source of distraction for all road users.
According to GHSA, More than one-third of pedestrian fatalities occur on local streets.
Pedestrian fatalities during the first half of 2018 declined in 23 states compared with the same period in 2017.ase in daytime pedestrian fatalities.
With a rate of .82 Pedestrian Fatalities per 100K population, Connecticut ranks 16th amongst all the states.
Connecticut's public information campaign, “Watch for Me CT”, was highlighted as a way to prevent pedestrian fatalities. The “Watch for Me CT” campaign is a statewide educational community outreach campaign involving media components and community engagement in partnership with CT Children’s Medical Center.
A full copy of the report can be found here: https://www.ghsa.org/sites/default/files/2019-02/FINAL_Pedestrians19.pdf