This story was on WCTV's website today. I suspect that this is at least
part of the reason TPD has decided to begin some pedestrian safety
operations locally. Whatever the reason, it is good to see them doing
something. I think John Plesocw may have made such a suggestion
whenever he met with Chief DeLeo although I can't recall whether that
was earlier this year, last year or even earlier. When you get older
all of this stuff tends to run together.
by Associated Press
August 17, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Traffic deaths were up 14 percent nationally in the
first six months of this year and injuries were up by a third,
according to data gathered by the National Safety Council.
An improved economy and low gas prices have encouraged Americans to put
a record number of miles on the road, said Deborah A.P. Hersman,
president of the council. But, she said, that's not the whole
explanation for the increase in deaths and injuries.
All told, nearly 19,000 people across the country lost their lives in
traffic accidents through June, and the tally doesn't include two of
the historically highest months for traffic deaths, July and August,
said the council, a nonprofit organization created by Congress to
promote safety.
If the trend continues, traffic deaths this year could exceed 40,000
for the first time since 2007, when there were nearly 44,000 deaths,
Hersman said in an interview. The increases began in the last quarter
of 2014 and have been recorded consistently through each month of this
year, Hersman said.
"As a safety professional, it's not just disappointing but
heartbreaking to see the numbers trending in the wrong direction," she
said.
The nation's driving steadily increased for 15 consecutive months
through May, the Transportation Department said in July. Americans
drove 1.26 trillion miles in the first five months of 2015, passing the
previous record, 1.23 trillion, set in May 2007.
However, the cumulative increase in vehicle mileage this year through
May is 3.4 percent, far less than the 14 percent increase in deaths,
Hersman noted. Also, the estimated annual mileage death rate so far
this year is 1.3 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, up from
the preliminary 2014 rate of 1.2 deaths.
Other safety trends are at play as well. In recent decades, deaths due
to crashes involving drunken driving have dropped from about 50 percent
of fatalities to about 30 percent, she said. Teen driving deaths are
also down, and seatbelt use is up. And cars have more safety technology
than ever, although drivers sometimes don't use it or don't know how to
use it, Hersman said.
On the other hand, a growing number of states are raising speed limits,
and everywhere drivers are distracted by cellphone calls and text
messages. The council estimated in a report this spring that a quarter
of all crashes involve cellphone use. Besides fatal crashes, that
includes injury-only and property damage-only crashes.
"For many years people have said, `If distraction is such a big issue,
why don't we see an increase in fatal crash numbers?' Well, we're
seeing increasing fatal crashes numbers, but I think it's complicated
to tease out what that is due to," Hersman said.
Jonathan Adkins, executive director of Governors Highway Safety
Association, which represents state highway safety offices, confirmed
that states have taken note of the trend as well.
Given the stronger economy, lower unemployment and low gas prices, "we
have expected an uptick in travel and, sadly, deaths," he said.
"The increase is definitely troubling," Adkins said. "But after such
historic declines in recent years, it's not unexpected to see an
upswing."
-----Original Message-----
From: Owen Mccaul <mccaulo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, Aug 15, 2015 12:15 pm
Subject: TPD to Begin Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations
From WCTV's website:
"News Release: Tallahassee Police Department
August 14, 2015
TALLAHASSEE -- The Tallahassee Police Department will begin Pedestrian
Safety Enforcement Operations on August 26, 2015. TPD is committed to
improving pedestrian safety for our residents and visitors through
continued application of engineering, educational and enforcement
strategies.
The Tallahassee Police are working with the City of Tallahassee Traffic
Mobility Management to identify and improve environmental and traffic
factors that are associated with high pedestrian crashes. TPD will be
educating our citizens through pedestrian safety messages and
encouraging them to follow pedestrian safety protocol both in person
and via social media. In addition to routine patrol enforcement of
pedestrian laws, TPD will conduct two operations every month beginning
with the first operation in the 500-600 blocks of West Tennessee Street
on Wednesday evening, August 26, 2015. These operations will be focused
on enforcing pedestrian safety laws and will occur during the hours of
10PM to 2AM.
Officers will be enforcing pedestrian laws by looking for violations
made by drivers and pedestrians that can lead to injuries or
fatalities. Special attention will be directed toward drunk driving,
speeding drivers, drivers making illegal turns, drivers failing to stop
for signs and signals, drivers failing to yield to pedestrians in
crosswalks or any other dangerous violation. Additionally, special
attention will be directed toward impaired pedestrians and enforcement
will be taken for observed violations when pedestrians cross the street
illegally, cross against the walk signal of a crosswalk, or fail to
yield to drivers who have the right of way."
This article was followed by the usual ignorant and/or hateful comments
on WCTV's website. This is a long overdue step in the right direction
since Transportation for America's Dangerous by Design studies,
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/research/dangerous-by-design/dbd2014/state/florida/,
have shown Tallahassee is not the safest place in the world for
pedestrians.
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