There are not many things as scary or more devastating than hitting a pedestrian while driving a car. For the person who was hit, the impact can often cause an extreme or catastrophic injury. All too often fatal, it is fatal.
Louisiana pedestrian danger
Unfortunately, if you are a pedestrian in the state of Louisiana, your chances of being hit or killed are greater than many other states in the country. In a new report, Louisiana was ranked fourth in the nation for pedestrian fatalities. The report took data from between 2008 and 2017 and found that 1,047 people in the state who were out on foot were hit and killed by drivers.
The city of Baton Rouge was listed 12th among 20 large cities, according to Pedestrian Danger Index. Baton Rouge alone had 182 deaths over the decade that was studied. During that time period, the amount of fatalities increased 35 percent nationally.
Reasons for car-pedestrian accidents
Both cars and pedestrians should be extra attentive of each other, however pedestrian accidents and fatalities continue to climb. Here are some factors the report cited as to why pedestrians are being hit and killed:
- Too much space given for cars with very little room for pedestrians
- Excessive speed of cars
- There are more multi-lane avenues instead of slower, narrower streets that are pedestrian friendly
Pedestrians in more danger in the southern states
Louisiana has plenty of company from neighboring states in the top 10 dangerous places for pedestrians. Texas, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina also rank high on the reports pedestrian death index. It may be more logical that Sun Belt states rank high since there are obviously less people out on foot in northern states during winter months. But the numbers of pedestrian deaths are not only alarmingly high, but they continue to grow.
If you are either a driver or pedestrian in Louisiana, especially in the Baton Rouge area, you may want to use extra caution when you are out. As pedestrian accidents in the area continues to climb, the best way to reduce these types of accidents may just be an increased awareness to safety from both driver and pedestrian.
