Pedestrian Safety in Illinois
Spring 2009
Depending on how you look at it, 2008 was either a very good year or a very bad year for pedestrians in Illinois. Preliminary numbers indicate that 133 pedestrians were killed in Illinois last year, down 39 from the 172 killed in 2007. While this is the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities in the last 14 years, it is still too many!
This 23 percent decline in pedestrian fatalities is slightly better than the overall 16 percent decline in fatalities on Illinois roadways where total fatalities fell from 1,248 in 2007 to 1,043 in 2008. Although this is an 84 year low for overall fatalities, we must do better.
Two new efforts that are underway to try and increase pedestrian safety in Chicago should help reduce crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians. With a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation's, Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT/DTS), the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) are enforcing crosswalk laws in an effort to make motorists more aware of pedestrian rights and vulnerability. The initial pilot effort in the spring of 2008, a joint venture with the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, CDOT, CPD and IDOT/DTS, garnered significant press coverage at local and national levels. After two high-visibility enforcement details where no citations were issued (with the press there in force) the Chicago Pedestrian Safety held eight additional enforcement details. CPD will provide $118,000 during the current fiscal year for pedestrian crosswalk enforcement details in an effort to educate motorists and pedestrians on crosswalk issues.
The second project, just getting underway, is a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) funded project designed to study nighttime pedestrian crashes and suggest mitigation efforts to reduce these crashes. Dr. Ron Van Houston of Western Michigan University is the lead researcher for the project. Dr. Van Houston and his team will work closely with IDOT/DTS, CDOT, CPD and NHTSA to find cost-effective ways to increase pedestrian safety in an urban environment.
For more information about pedestrian issues in Chicago, contact Kiersten Grove, Chicago
Department of Transportation, Pedestrian Program Coordinator at (312) 744-5718, or e-mail:
Kiersten.Grove@cityofchicago.org.
~By John Werthwein, DTS Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator
Spring 2009
The Chicago Pedestrian Safety Initiative
As Chicago thaws out from another cold winter, we will once again see the city in bloom. Birds will sing, buds will sprout and inevitably the good people of Chicago will come out of hibernation to soak up the sun and enjoy the city at its best. As we make our way into the streets, we will find people traveling the city in a variety of ways - in motor vehicles - from SUV's to vintage scooters - wheeled apparatuses like rollerblades and bicycles, and especially on their feet.
Though Chicago is fortunate to have a transportation network that accommodates multiple modes of travel, the Chicago Department of Transportation's Pedestrian Program is encouraging residents to take advantage of travel that is fun, free and healthy - walking. Thanks to funding from IDOT, the Chicago Pedestrian Safety Initiative provides programming like Mayor Daley's Safe Routes Ambassadors and Safe Routes for Seniors to communities throughout the city. These programs encourage children, adults and seniors to incorporate walking into their daily routine and provide them with the tools to safely navigate the streets alongside cars, buses and bicycles. Walking allows people to connect with their community both environmentally and socially, costs nothing and is as simple as throwing on a pair of shoes. Walking is also a viable form of exercise for the very young, seniors and everyone in between.
While we will all be thrilled to take in the sights and sounds around us free from the obstruction of oversized coats and scarves wrapped to our eyes, we must remember that more people on the street means more chances for collisions between folks traveling from place to place. Regardless of how we choose to get around this spring, there are a few simple things we can all do to ensure our safety and the safety of others.
TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS
• Always stop, look both ways and behind for moving vehicles before ever entering the street.
• Always cross at the crosswalk.
• Remember to wear light colored clothing or reflective gear when walking at night.
TIPS FOR MOTORISTS
• Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
• Always go the speed limit (your chances of seriously injuring or killing someone increases
with speed).
• Do not use your cell phone while driving. Focus on your safety and the safety of others.
~By Somilia Smith, Program Coordinator, Mayor Daley's Safe Routes Ambassadors
