LAFAYETTE PARISH — October is National Pedestrian Safety Month. This is a national campaign led by the NHTSA to raise awareness about pedestrian safety.
Locally, in Acadiana, Destination Zero Death Acadiana is taking an active role in the national campaign for Safety Month. Ashley Moran, Program Manager, sat down with KATC to give the public more details.
In 2023, Acadiana recorded 68 crashes involving pedestrians, according to DZD Acadiana. Out of these 68, 16 were fatal, and 52 caused serious injuries.
According to DZD Acadiana, this resulted in the highest number of pedestrian incidents in the region. They cite the source of their information as the Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety. (CARTS).
On a national scale in 2023:
- 7,314 pedestrian deaths occurred (a 4% decrease from 2022)
- 68,244 were injured
- Pedestrians accounted for 18% of all traffic deaths
- 77% of those fatalities occurred in the dark
- 46% of the fatal crashes involved alcohol use
So, what can be done about this? DZD Acadiana gives key safety tips from the NHTSA:
- Use extra caution in low visibility and dark/poor weather conditions
- Follow speed limits, especially around schools and neighborhoods
- Drive sober
- Always stop for pedestrians in crosswalks
- Never pass stopped vehicles at crosswalks
- Look out for pedestrians everywhere, especially in blind spots
October is a unique month to bring awareness to this campaign, as Halloween typically brings an increase in foot traffic, particularly in more risky conditions, with elevated foot traffic during darker times of the day.
Drivers are encouraged to be alert for children who may dart into streets unexpectedly while trick-or-treating, or be aware that dark clothing/costumes worn by trick-or-treaters may be challenging to see.
For Acadiana, Ron Czajkowski, the Safety Coordinator with DZD Acadiana says, "We want to help ensure that our pedestrians are safe on the sidewalks, crossing the street — anywhere that people walk they should be able to do do without fear or stress."
For more tips and information, visit NHTSA.gov/Pedestrian. For local guidance, reach out to Destination Zero Deaths Acadiana.
