Pedestrian deaths: hold manufacturers accountable... [View All]

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Pedestrian deaths: hold manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products!
By Tim Castleman

Manufacturers are held responsible for the safety of the products they sell. Safety features are built in to everything made for people to use. Unfortunately, this standard has not been applied to automobile manufacturers in regard to their products impact on innocent bystanders.

More pedestrians are killed every year than died on 9/11.

MORE PEDESTRIANS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR THAN DIED ON 9/11

These ‘pedestrians’ are people. 10% are children, people less than 18 years of age.

This nation has mobilized the most massive military force in history in response to less than 3,000 deaths, while our roadways are drenched in the blood of innocent people mowed down by oversize vehicles racing to the next red light.

We have forgotten that the pedestrian ALWAYS has the right of way, and we have neglected to provide sufficient protections for safe and convenient pedestrian travel and access, which is in fact REQUIRED BY California State Law;

21949. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is the policy of the State of California that safe and convenient pedestrian travel and access, whether by foot, wheelchair, walker, or stroller, be provided to the residents of the state.

(b) In accordance with the policy declared under subdivision (a), it is the intent of the Legislature that all levels of government in the state, particularly the Department of Transportation, work to provide convenient and safe passage for pedestrians on and across all streets and highways, increase levels of walking and pedestrian travel, and reduce pedestrian fatalities and injuries.
Added Sec. 6, Ch. 833, Stats. 2000. Effective January 1, 2001.

So who has failed, the manufacturers or the State? I suggest both, the State has failed to protect its citizens by allowing the manufacturer to sell such an unsafe product and allowing this deplorable environment to develop. The State needs to hold manufacturers accountable for their products. Here is a standard I think we can all agree manufacturers should adhere to:

If their product can cause harm to innocent people, it must be removed from the marketplace or made safe. The vehicles produced today do not provide for the safety of pedestrians in any way whatsoever. We can voyage to Mars, but we can’t provide safety for people walking or riding a bike? Perhaps it is time we look to the machines themselves for the answers. Modern vehicles are way oversized and over powered. What is the sense of every person hauling tons of steel around with them everywhere? Not only do we create this hazardous environment with these powerful overweight beasts, but also the corresponding pollution and resource consumption is shameful. This must change – or do we just tolerate the carnage, waste and gluttony?

• Automobile design concentrates on insulating the vehicles occupants from the environment with climate control systems, insulation, comfortable seating, power accessories, entertainment systems, tinted windows and more.

• Engineering that should have been used to improve efficiency has been squandered on these luxury items and speed, and none has been devoted to the safety of innocent bystanders, pedestrians.

• Everyone becomes a pedestrian the moment you step out of your vehicle, and tens of thousands of us are killed or maimed for life daily by motor vehicles.

• Government has utterly failed in its first mission to protect the public.

o By building and maintaining roadways that are designed to accommodate motor vehicles first, and pedestrians last, government has failed to provide safe and convenient pedestrian access to public roadways.

o By failing to hold manufacturers accountable for the safety of their products to innocent bystanders (pedestrians).

• Manufacturers have failed to even consider pedestrian safety, despite billions spent on occupant safety.

o Innocent bystanders have absolutely no protection from the slightest impact, No design practice asks the simple question: How will this impact a pedestrian?

o Operators have no assistance to help avoid these tragedies. We have the technology to explore Mars and watch DVD’s from the back seat of motor vehicles, but people cannot walk or ride a bike safely on a public roadway?

o The manufacturers focus on speed and comfort has left operators insulated from their immediate environment. The number one excuse for striking a pedestrian is that the driver didn’t see the pedestrian.

• Motor vehicle operators are resentful of pedestrian rights.

• Government’s utter failure to regulate the speed of traffic increases the hostility of the public roadway to pedestrians.