Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center recently released a study on deaths of pedestrians and cyclists caused by distracted driving. Unlike injury and death to passengers and drivers, the topic of pedestrians and cyclists in relation to distracted driving has received less attention. These numbers are increasing, as the study shows.
The number of pedestrians killed by distracted drivers from 2005 to 2010 rose from 344 to 500—up nearly 50 percent. The number of cyclists is up 30 percent, having increased from 56 to 73 in the same period.
“People walking or on bicycles are more vulnerable in the event of a crash,” says San Antonio personal injury attorney Tom Crosley. “Distracted driving puts pedestrians and cyclists at an even higher risk than automobile passengers.”
Claims Journal calls distracted driving a “serious public health threat” in their recent article on the subject. They note that motor vehicle deaths have been declining, but clearly distracted driving is a growing problem.
Many are calling for increased legislation around distracted driving, but police admit that it’s difficult to catch people driving while texting, for example. Plus, it’s easy for a driver to claim they were doing something else. It could be possible in the future for portable devices to have self-imposed limits that disable use during car travel, ending the trend of accidents caused by distracted driving.
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You can read the full study through Public Health Reports.
