Coming in 2014: One less way for cars to kill you

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As reported in the LA Times and elsewhere, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is recommending that new regulations be adopted to require all new US vehicles to include backup cameras by 2014. The NHTSA estimates that about 300 people are killed and 18,000 injured each year due to backup crashes. The vast majority of those killed are children, who are particularly difficult to see when backing up a vehicle, and older adults. While these numbers aren't huge compared to overall pedestrian fatalities in the US, they certainly aren't insignificant. Since we have the technology available to (hopefully) prevent these deaths and injuries, I think it's great that the federal government would like to require it in all vehicles.

I have to back down a loooonnngg driveway every time I leave my house, passing by a home where two young children live along the way. Even though I slow down and double check to make sure they aren't around when I pass by, it still makes me nervous every time. I'd love to have one of these cameras in my car, and I'm glad to know that the next vehicle I purchase likely will.

photo courtesy of reviewsafety.com

This Week on Foot

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This week Switchboard brings us Images from the world's 10 (or 11) most walkable cities (as ranked by Frommer's). Not surprisingly, LA didn't make the cut--but Munich did, especially exciting for me since I'll be spending the Christmas holidays there. I promise to come back with lots of walking pictures, but in the meantime, here's an image to inspire you:

Meanwhile, things in the Southland have been less walkable. Between new of a School crossing guard punched, robbed; two arrested, a  Pedestrian injured after being hit by car near Highway 101 in T.O, and the LAPD's stiff jaywalking fines, it's no shock that some fed up pedestrians feel like we should just

Outlaw Walking!

That idea would probably be a hit with some people in New York, where Anger Over Rampant Bike Lanes, Pedestrian Plazas Leads to New Legislation forcing the NYDOT to publish its criteria for the installation of traffic calming mechanisms.

But elsewhere people are hoping for, not fighting, pedestrian improvements. In Russia Residents In Russian City Protest Pedestrian Fatalities , while in Arizona there's celebration as the Region gets $4.5M for pedestrian, bike paths.

All of which led Grist to ask an interesting question: Can a neighborhood be too walkable? Personally, I think the answer is "no." But maybe I'm a little biased.

Your Guide to Twalking

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In this short video, LA Times technology writer Michelle Maltais explains new smartphone apps that use in-phone cameras to allow users to see the pavement beneath their fingers as they text and walk (aka "twalk"). Given all the hype over pedestrians' inability to safely use their phones and walk at the same time, perhaps there's something to these applications. On the other hand, they do little to stop texting drivers from mowing down unsuspecting walkers. So let's not get too excited.

LAPD Hits Peds Where it Hurts

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Namely, in their pocketbooks.

As reported in this story from the LA Times, pedestrians who jaywalk in downtown LA will pay a nearly $200 fine for their offense. The hefty fines, along with a "zero tolerance" policy for pedestrians crossing the street outside of crosswalks, is intended to reduce crashes and lower crimes rates over the holiday season. Because, as LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon explains, "Jaywalking is often done by thieves, purse snatchers and robbery suspects to target their victims."

If only we could just keep everyone inside their cars, where they would be safe from such villainy.

Of course, if you take a look at the LAPD website you'll see that, mysteriously, the top five traffic violations causing causing collisions have nothing to do with pedestrians. For the record, they are:

• Following too close
• Running a red light
• Driving under the influence
• Left turn violations
• Speeding

It seems to me that if the City of LA was really interested in improving safety over the holidays, it would turn downtown into a pedestrian-only zone and get rid of the real safety problem: cars.

Turkey meets zebra (crossing)

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image courtesy of thiscatsabroad.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving!