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You may not even think about it, but at some point during the day it is likely you are a pedestrian. Whether you are crossing the street, walking on the sidewalk or even merely walking through a parking lot, you are at risk of being hit by a car. Pedestrian accidents can happen in the blink of an eye and many pedestrian accidents in Memphis cause serious injuries or fatalities. Due to the serious nature of pedestrian accidents, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has designated October as National Pedestrian Safety Month.

The growing severity of pedestrian accidents

2020 saw a surge in pedestrian fatalities. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports that the number of pedestrian fatalities went up by 21% in 2020 compared to the number of pedestrian accidents in 2019. This increase in pedestrian fatalities is the greatest increase since data began being collected in the 1970s.

The uptick in pedestrian fatalities is despite seeing fewer motorists on the road for the greater part of 2020, as many people chose to work from home during that time and many stores, restaurants, theaters and bars were closed or at limited capacity. Speed seemed to play a role in many of these auto-pedestrian accidents.

Pay attention to pedestrian safety in October

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has designated October to be Pedestrian Safety Month. The goal of this initiative is to increase public awareness of pedestrian safety and to remind motorists to practice pedestrian awareness. Topics that will be addressed are the many ways a person can be a pedestrian, addressing the problem of speeding, technology that can improve safety both of motorists and pedestrians and the ways roads can be designed to promote pedestrian safety.

Pay attention to pedestrian safety all year round

October may be designated as Pedestrian Safety Month, but pedestrian safety is an important topic to address year-round. Every year too many pedestrians in Tennessee are seriously injured or lose their lives after being hit by a car. When motorists exercise pedestrian awareness, it is possible that fewer auto-pedestrian accidents will occur.