Arrr! Ye landlubbers be droppin' like flies! Pedestrian deaths a-plenty in 2022. Yarr, it be a record!
2023-06-24
Arrrr, me hearty landlubbers! News be comin' from the shores of the U.S. that more than 7,500 of ye scallywags were sent to Davy Jones' locker whilst treadin' on a highway! This be the largest number of deaths since the days of Blackbeard himself, some 40 years ago! Best beware these treacherous roads, lest ye become another tally in this woeful count!
Arrr mateys, it be a somber tale I have for ye. This report says that last year in the U.S., over 7,500 souls were sent to Davy Jones' locker after being struck by a vehicle while walkin' on the roads. That be the highest number of pedestrian deaths in over four decades, ye scallywags! The Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) be sayin' that this number is based on preliminary information from 49 states and Washington, but it be likely even higher since one state, Oklahoma, did not provide data. GHSA be warnin' that Arizona, Virginia, and Oregon be seein' an increase in pedestrian deaths from the previous year, causin' the overall 1% increase.This report also be sayin' that risky drivin' behaviors like speedin' increased during the pandemic and persisted into 2021. Speedin' be a factor in 29% of all fatalities, and alcohol-related traffic deaths increased 5% from 2020 to 2021. In fact, over 30% of pedestrians ages 16 or older killed in car crashes had been drinkin'. The majority of vehicle-related deaths happened at night and in conditions with artificial lighting, and pickup trucks and SUVs were responsible for 40% of pedestrian deaths.
NHTSA Chief Counsel Ann Carlson has proposed that heavy vehicles be required to have automatic emergency braking systems to help reduce rear-end crashes and save lives. Arrr, it be a step in the right direction to prevent more preventable tragedies on our nation's roadways. Let's all be careful when we're out and about, or we may find ourselves walking the plank.