Pedestrian deaths: hold manufacturers accountable...

[aztc]

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.

[seriousstan]

1. pedestrian ALWAYS has the right of way??? In what state?

That is the most ridiculous statement. We should all drive soft foam cars that only go 5mph.

[aztc]

2. Marked freeways only exception

Freeways that are marked at the on ramp "No Pedestrians" are the only exception.

But to more directly answer your question, I must ask you one: Under what circumstances is it OK to run down a kid walking to school? Or does the kid ALWAYS have the right of way?

Your hostility proves my point exactly, thank you.

[seriousstan]

3. Here's an example........ Someones steps off a curb in front of a car.

There are also the jaywalking laws.

Hostility? I guess anyone who disagrees with you must be labeled violent.

[aztc]

4. Right Of Way

Right of Way - this is legal term to define who, with all other things being equal, has the right of way. If a pedestrian breaks the law, he loses his Right of Way. Does that help clarify things?

[seriousstan]

5. So now ALWAYS means sometimes, if all qualifiers are fulfilled.

THAT is an interesting definition. So your contention now is that if a car illegally hits a pedestrian it is the car manufactures fault for the illegal operation of their product?


Let me guess.......you believe that Hershey's is responsible for fat people and pencils are responsible for misspelled words.

[aztc]

6. Why so nasty?

I clearly have struck a nerve for you. Good. You are just the sort I want OFF THE ROAD, because your attitude makes you a killer waiting for a victim that dares cross your path.

MORE PEDESTRIANS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR THAN DIED ON 9/11 - can you hear that at all?

[seriousstan]

7. I'm a killer now because you have a poorly thought out editorial?

That's the same logic that got you into this discussion. Hyperbole has not served you well so far.

My point was your failure to understand the word "ALWAYS". If you wanted to debate the benefits of improved pedestrian safety, that is fine. However, you seem to simply want to scream emotionally. Did you know THERE ARE 14,900 DEATHS FROM FALLING EVERY YEAR!!!!!!

[aztc]

8. Ok, you win

You win, and, you are in the majority. You are utterly mindless to the carnage happening around you every day, intent to attack a perceived editorial flaw in the message, and the messenger, rahter than actually deal with the reality.


BTW, when is it ok to run down a kid on his way to school? About 500 are killed every year that way you know, several thousand more are maimed for life, each year. What shall we do about that? Install more insulation in the mini van so occupants aren't disturbed? Make laws that say people should not walk on public roadways? Answers instead of attacks this time or this thread ends here.

[seriousstan]

9. How many of these children are killed by a car committing a crime?

It is a fact that accidents happen. People step in front of cars and inattentive drivers strike legally crossing pedestrians. We have cross signals, road signs, traffic signals and crossing guards. What law is going to keep people from breaking the law? What law is going to eliminate accidents?

To complain about insulation in cars somehow leading to more accidental deaths is to relate unrelated items. We have a duty to protect people acting in a lawful fashion (bumpers, crumple zones, seat belts, airbags, crosswalks, flashing lights on busses, etc.)and to minimize accidents as much as possible without becoming absurd (foam cars, bubble wrapped pedestrians, 5 mph cars).

I think enough is being done. Other than suing people for the experience, what are your suggestions?

[aztc]

10. Take a walk

Walk a few miles for a few days. Ride a public bus - ride a bike, then get back to me.

[seriousstan]

11. That doesn't sound like an answer to the question.

What would you enact?

I walk my children to school every day and walk my dog several times a day. My entire family rides bikes on city street EXTENSIVELY. I really don't see how being a passenger on a bus is relevant, but I do that also. I know the dangers of the road and have known them since I was 5yrs old and the ice cream shop was on the other side of a busy city main street. I learned a long time ago that when steel and flash meet...steel wins. I have developed a keen respect for both the mass of vehicles and my personal safety. That means that I expect people to obey traffic laws but understand that they don't always. I take my life and my safety seriously and take all reasonable precautions to protect both. I don't however, blame the state or the auto manufacturers for the uncertainty of life.

Now, what is your suggestion for reducing the number of deaths?

[aztc]

12. Honda has made a start

http://corporate.honda.com/safety/details.aspx?id=pedestrian

If a pedestrian steps lawfully in front of a car, the pedestrain has the Right of Way. Please remember this.

[seriousstan]

13. That is it? I thought you would have had some reason behind your rant.

I expected more than a Honda commercial. I am well aware of the enhanced test dummies and the head impact hood area studies. Are these the only suggestions you have for cleaning the blood that our streets are paved with?

Honda and a remonstration to remember a law, one of many that I committed to memory long ago?

If you write an editorial condemning people for being uncaring, you should have suggestions to improve the situation. Otherwise, you are just ranting about the nature of things.

[aztc]

16. The Reason behind my rant

Well, you said you thought enough was being done.

In the last 5 years 25,000 innocent Americans have been killed, in America, for the offense of walking or riding a bike. 10% were children on their way to school.

This is acceptable to you, not to me. It is barbaric, and I believe we could do better.

[seriousstan]

17. Yet AGAIN you fail to offer any suggestions for improvement.

It appears this is just an opportunity for you to try to feel "more compassionate than thou". Reply when you have a list of concrete improvements.

The entire "killed for the offense" approach is both dishonest and delusional. Nobody is driving around looking for pedestrians to kill. Those that do find their victims rather quickly and are then hunted as the criminals they are. The amount of time it would require to find a pedestrian or bicyclist to hit with a car is hardly measurable in minutes.

When are you going to start bemoaning the deaths by cancer, falling, drowning or fire? They are all more than those hit by cars.

[aztc]

20. You don't want solutions

You would only tear down and criticize any solutions offered. First you have to give a damn about the 14 people that will be struck and killed today by US drivers, and the 1.5 of them that will be children, like this tragedy today in the UK:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4535676.stm

But like you said, enough is being done, shit happens, right?

[Kablooie]

14. It's the shoe company's fault.

They stopped making shoes that run faster and jump higher.

[seriousstan]

15. Now that is the kind of insight I was seeking.

:evilgrin:

My point exactly.

[TygrBright]

18. I can suggest a few things that would help...

...improve pedestrian safety:

1. Improve windshield glass to upgrade non-glare capabilities, something along the lines of the glasses that polarize into sunglasses in high light exposure. Especially in the winter, when the sun is low on the horizon, the glare during the highest traffic times can be deadly. I darn near ran someone down myself a few days ago, scared the bejeebus out of me, and I was driving slowly and defensively. But the glare was so awful I literally could not see the person who stepped into the street!

2. Improve bumper designs to "shed" in ways that don't throw hit objects (and or people) into traffic and/or under the wheels.

3. Equip all vehicles with "always on" headlights, just as many rental cars are now equipped. That would improve vehicle visibility during fog, light rain, and dusk/dawn situations, when many drivers forget to turn on their headlights. Also, require additional "strip" reflectors on sides, corners, and front of vehicles at angles where street lights and other light sources can catch them. The preponderance of shades of silver, light neutrals, grays, etc., among new car sales for the last ten years or so has had a very bad effect on visibility--anything that can improve it will improve safety.

4. Increase the amount of outerwear, shoes, handbags, backpacks, totes and other items with reflective fabric/strips/etc. on the market and mount aggressive "safety first" campaigns to sell them, especially in childrens' wear and accessories.

5. Re-engineer street designs to increase the number of highly visible, well-marked, well-lit pedestrian crossings and discourage crossing elsewhere. Also, mandate the installation of wide, well-lit sidewalks everywhere! The last place I lived, the ONLY way you could walk to the store was by either walking in the road shoulder of a busy highway, or picking your way through driveways, gravel strips, medians, etc.

6. Which brings up another issue, that is re-engineering access to commercial areas to encourage (encourage, heck, ALLOW!) safe pedestrian and bicycle access. Too many strip malls, etc., are designed ONLY for auto access.

7. Require reflective paint or embedded markings on corners, driveways, intersections, openings, etc. to clearly define the corner curbs, openings, etc. to drivers in low-light situations.

That's just a starter. I'm sure that a little engineering skull sweat can come up with lots of additional ways to reduce pedestrian fatalities. It ain't rocket science, it's just THINKING, for Petesqueaks.

exasperatedly,
Bright

[aztc]

19. But one has to care first

Sadly, there are so many that are satisfied with things the way they are. Thanks for the positive input. :loveya:

One tragic example from todays BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4535676.stm