EDITORIAL: Drivers and pedestrians can cooperate to make the roads safer

In a special report by the Center for Collaborative Journalism published last week in The Telegraph, pedestrian deaths were examined. Macon-Bibb County has the second highest rate in the state. In 2013 there were 10 pedestrian fatalities. Eight walkers died in 2014, and as the lead story explained, “four have been killed so far in 2015.” That was correct until last Sunday when Antonial Tantce White became this year’s fifth fatality when he was stuck on Pio Nono Avenue by a driver who left the scene of the accident.

The series of articles pointed to numerous reasons for the high number of pedestrian deaths in the area. Part of it is infrastructure. Macon-Bibb County has long stretches of wide roads without crosswalks, and even where there are crosswalks, many walkers fail to use them. The county also has many areas where there are no sidewalks. Speed is also a factor. Wider roads mean faster speeds, and higher speeds decrease the chances of a pedestrian surviving if hit by a vehicle. Higher poverty also means more pedestrian traffic.

There are natural and unnatural distractions. Drivers are texting and talking on their cellphones and not paying attention to the road. Some walkers are focused on their electronic devices rather than where they are going. Walking while intoxicated is also an issue. Of the 18 fatalities from 2013-14, 11 of those cases have been closed by investigators and of those, seven involved intoxicated pedestrians.

We can dicker about whether a pedestrian’s dark clothing contributes to safety when walking at night, but we can agree that dark clothing along with the noted infrastructure issues and distractions can add to the danger for walkers.

So what can we do? None of the changes in infrastructure is going to occur overnight, if ever. Government can only adjust its future plans to make the city more walkable rather than auto-centric. Drivers and pedestrians have it in their power to make the roadways safer right now by paying more attention and avoiding distractions while walking or driving -- and drivers can slow down. Walkers can adhere to the training of their youth: “Always look both ways before crossing the street.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "EDITORIAL: Drivers and pedestrians can cooperate to make the roads safer ."