Pedestrian safety - Articles

Safety Product Innovations

TrafFix Devices Urbanite Pedestrian Wall

November 21, 2025

TrafFix Devices, a leading manufacturer and supplier of traffic control devices and crash attenuation products, highlights the Urbanite™ Pedestrian Wall, a next-generation solution engineered to meet today’s most pressing safety and crowd management needs.

NHTSA issues $562 million in highway safety grants

February 18, 2020

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released of $562 million in grants for highway safety programs to Offices of Highway Safety in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, United States territories, and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. “These highway safety grants will help save lives by addressing impaired driving, promoting seat belt use, improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety and funding other important traffic safety efforts,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

A FairWarning Story

Toll continues to mount for pedestrians and bicyclists, the victims in one in five traffic deaths

Hillel Aron

February 5, 2020

Policymakers have eagerly promoted walking and bicycle riding as a way to get healthy exercise while reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions. But those activities are becoming increasingly dangerous in America. More than 6,200 pedestrians were killed by traffic collisions in 2018, the last year for which federal statistics are available, continuing the rising trend of recent years.

What is “Vision Zero” & should other cities follow Denver’s lead?

December 10, 2019

An initiative underway in Denver, Colorado may provide a blueprint for other U.S. cities who want to improve safety on their roadways for “vulnerable” road users - bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. Denver Vision Zero is a five-year plan crafted by city agencies and State and community partners that includes improved street design, safe speeds, a culture of safety, and improved data.

NTSB report on deadly automated vehicle crash slams Uber for safety lack

November 20, 2019

There was plenty of blame to go around in the report released yesterday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into its investigation of an automated test vehicle crash last year, but most of it was assigned to Uber, the company conducting the test. A pedestrian was killed in the March 18 collision in Tempe, Arizona involving an Uber Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) vehicle - a 2017 Volvo XC90, modified with a proprietary developmental automated driving system.

NSC reminds parents and drivers to avoid Halloween hazards

Pedestrian fatalities spike after dark, and injuries are 100% preventable

October 28, 2019

With crowds of trick-or-treaters expected in neighborhoods around the country, the National Safety Council (NSC) urges caution for everyone out on the roads during the Halloween holiday. Most crash-related pedestrian fatalities occur when it is dark, according to NHTSA, and pedestrian deaths spike Halloween night. Increased pedestrian traffic, alcohol consumption and lower visibility because of costumes and masks, as well as shorter daylight hours, increase the risk of crashes or incidents.

U.S. highway deaths down in 2018

October 23, 2019

Fatalities due to motor vehicle accidents on U.S. highways decreased by 2.4 percent last year, according to data released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It was the second consecutive year of reduced crash fatalities.

Editor's Letter

Crossing a street… Incidents are so random sometimes

Dave Johnson

September 12, 2019

At 10:30 in the morning the avenue is not busy. Rush hour has passed. The light changed, I got the pedestrian right of way signal, and started to casually walk to the island in the middle of the road. A line of cars and trucks waited at the intersection to turn left onto the avenue once pedestrians were all clear. I saw an SUV or pickup, I can’t recall, beginning to make its turn early – heading straight at me.

Safety tips for cyclists and pedestrians

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Safety tips for pedestrians and cyclists

The statistics

August 5, 2019

At some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian. While pedestrian fatalities remain high, there was a 1.7% decrease in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2017, totaling 5,977 deaths, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

New York City doubles down on traffic fatalities & injuries

Meeting the promise of “Vision Zero”

Dave Johnson

August 1, 2019

Since 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has set a goal, or more specifically a “vision,” that traffic deaths and injuries on city streets is, in his words, “not acceptable and… serious crashes will no longer (be regarded) as inevitable. We won’t accept this any longer.”