Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths

Sponsored by Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and Grantmakers In Health

In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. More than 43,000 Americans – including 3,906 children under 16 – have been killed this decade alone. Children, the elderly, and ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in this figure, but people of all ages and all walks of life have been struck down in the simple act of walking. These deaths typically are labeled “accidents” and attributed to error on the part of motorist or pedestrian. In fact, however, an overwhelming proportion share a similar factor: they occurred along roadways that were dangerous by design, streets that were engineered for speeding cars and made little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs, or on a bicycle. This one-hour call briefed funders on a new report that explores this trend through the lens of public health, social equity, and pedestrian safety.

Entitled Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods), this report ranks the most dangerous metropolitan areas for pedestrians in the United States (the 10 most dangerous are Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville, Memphis, Raleigh, Louisville, Houston, Birmingham, and Atlanta) and has garnered significant media and legislative attention.

Speakers:   

Michelle Ernst, Transportation Campaign
David Goldberg, Transportation for America (moderator)
Shireen Malekafzali, PolicyLink
Susan L. Polan, Ph.D., Public Affairs and Advocacy
Brian Raymond, Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy    

Materials:        
The full report is available at http://t4america.org/resources/dangerousbydesign/.