Not all streets are created equal. Pedestrian accidents are a cause for concern all across the country, but some communities are hit harder than others.
One such city is trying to do something about this. Tucson, which last year experienced 25 fatal or near-fatal accidents involving pedestrians, has created a pedestrian safety task force to combat their problem. They also brought in a national safety expert to see what could be done to improve safety along Tucson’s roads.
The accidents have occurred all over the city, thus making the problem slightly harder to correct, but not impossible. The pedestrian safety expert emphasized that there is a pattern to the incidents.
One of the chief ways to make the city safer is to make the streets themselves narrower. Doing so creates fewer lanes of traffic. As an added benefit, reducing the lanes also saves money in a down economy, as was noted by a local Neighborhood Association member.
The safety expert’s biggest piece of advice however, also appears to be the simplest: be alert and slow down.
As a personal injury attorney in Bakersfield, I know how important it is for both pedestrians and driver to stay alert. Whether we’re driving or walking or hopping on a pogo stick, we should stay vigilant for upcoming obstacles and take every possible precaution. Safety is the number one priority for a Bakersfield personal injury attorney like me, and I’m glad to see steps taken to improve safety anywhere in the country.