Improving public safety for Missouri motorists has been a recurring theme in this forum.
New data from the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety indicates an emphasis on safety also must be directed at pedestrians.
Pedestrian fatalities for this year were listed at 83 in a news release issued Wednesday and are projected by year's end to exceed the annual total for 2015.
As a percentage of traffic fatalities, pedestrian deaths represent nearly 10 percent of the statewide toll.
"Motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians don't usually occur in extremely large numbers, but when a pedestrian is involved in a traffic crash, the potential for injury or death is much greater," said Bill Whitfield, highway safety director for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).
The majority of pedestrian fatalities, as expected, occurs in urban areas and during non-daylight hours.
In addition, drivers and pedestrians share responsibility for three of the top five contributing factors, including distractions, alcohol impairment and failure to yield.
The top contributing actions for pedestrians include being in the roadway, either walking, running, working, playing standing, even sitting and lying down.
And, of course, some accidents involve pedestrians who have exited a disabled vehicle on the roadside. In those scenarios, the coalition advises travelers to remain inside the disabled vehicle if it is safe to do so. A vehicle provides more protection and is more visible to oncoming motorists, who have learned to slow down or change lanes since the advent of Missouri's "Move Over" law.
In all situations the coalition offers these tips for pedestrians:
Never walk distracted by texting, talking or using headphones.
Make yourself visible to motorists by wearing light-colored clothing, and make eye contact with drivers when possible.
Always use designated crosswalks and obey crosswalk signals when available.
Use extra caution and expect the unexpected.
The state continues implementing engineering and technological advancements, including design, lighting, crosswalk signs, pavement markings and mid-block crossing signals.
The evidence shows, however, that human foibles - haste, inattentiveness, poor judgment - largely are responsible for pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
We can lower those numbers by being more conscientious, which is less expensive and arguably more effective than infrastructure improvements.