Pedestrian Safety Initiatives

August 5, 2013

To try to help reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, announced on August 5 a new set of tools to help communities combat the rising number of pedestrian deaths that have occurred over the last two years. As part of the campaign, the Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is making $2 million in pedestrian safety grants available to cities with the highest rate of pedestrian deaths.

“Whether you live in a city or a small town, and whether you drive a car, take the bus or ride a train, at some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian,” said Secretary Foxx. “We all have a reason to support pedestrian safety, and now, everyone has new tools to help make a difference.”

States have until Aug. 30 to apply for a total of $2 million that can be used for education and enforcement initiatives in 22 focus cities, where pedestrian deaths are greater than the national average. The new website, www.nhtsa.gov/everyoneisapedestrian, pulls pedestrian safety information from both NHTSA and FHWA, and provides safety tips and resources that communities can use to keep pedestrians safe. These resources include information for parents on teaching children about safe walking, reports on effective pedestrian projects for state highway safety offices, and guides for community pedestrian safety advocates.

“We continue to see high rates of pedestrian fatalities in major cities and across every demographic,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “To help stop the recent increase in deaths and injuries, we need everyone to play a role in pedestrian safety. Working with partners on the federal, state, local and individual level, we hope to turn this concerning trend around.”

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