Louisiana Third Most Dangerous State for Pedestrians
A new study found that Louisiana is the third most dangerous state for pedestrians, citing that over 1,000 pedestrians were killed while walking between 2000 and 2009.

December 07, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Louisiana Third Most Dangerous State for Pedestrians

Pedestrians in Louisiana need to start watching out more, as a new report released by Transportation for America shows that the state is the third most dangerous in the country. According to the report, 1,040 people were killed in the state from 2000 to 2009 while walking.

While Louisiana ranked behind only Florida and South Carolina in the average number of pedestrian fatalities statewide, New Orleans was one of the top 20 most dangerous cities in preventable pedestrian deaths.

Why is this such a huge problem in Louisiana? Experts believe the problem lies in the way the city's streets are designed. Pedestrians, especially older Americans, who choose to walk, find streets without sidewalks, crosswalks, or other pedestrian-friendly devices.

Instead, the streets are designed for speeding traffic with nothing to protect pedestrians. When those who are walking need to cross the street, they must do so at their own risk. Sadly, it is those who cannot move quickly, including children or the elderly, who appear to be more at risk than others. Minorities are also killed in far higher numbers in pedestrian crashes.

While pedestrian safety is typically handled at the local level, recently organizations have started to push for more federal involvement in this problem, due to the fact that 67 percent of the pedestrian fatalities in the country occurred on federal-aid roadways. This shows that it is not just a local problem. Yet, Congress has yet to pass legislation to fix it. Many members of Congress believe it should remain a local issue.

Regardless of whose responsibility it is, many believe this a real problem that needs to be addressed. The AARP and other organizations, like the National Complete Streets Coalition, are continuing to push for policies that support complete, pedestrian-friendly street concepts.

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