News-Press editorial 12/31/13
Whether carelessness is to blame or not, the number of pedestrians dying on Southwest Florida roads in 2013 was too high.
We all should be alarmed that 23 pedestrians and nine bicyclists have been killed on area roads. The deaths are climbing in a state that already ranks No. 1 in the nation for the number of such fatalities.
The numbers should scare us. There have been 82 highway fatalities in Lee County this year, 18 more than in 2012. Cape Coral is on an especially upsetting trend with 18 fatalities this year, nearly double its 2012 total of 10.
Motorists are not paying attention and neither are pedestrians. They are not paying attention for any number of reasons, but alcohol and drugs are reportedly behind more than their fair share. We have seen people die while walking down the middle of a road, crossing busy intersections from unsafe locations by attempting to dart across six lanes of roadway.
The days of crossing roads the legal way, at red lights or designated crosswalks, appear to be dwindling. Our inability to exercise patience and demonstrate a high level of attentiveness are increasing the likelihood of fatal accidents.
The high number of deaths should be call to action for all of us.
• For motorists, slow down and pay attention. Give the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists whether they are in the wrong or not. Expect the unexpected. It can help save lives.
• For pedestrians, stay on sidewalks if they exist. Don’t take unnecessary chances by crossing busy roads and not using designated crossing areas.
• For bicyclists, use bike paths, don’t ride against traffic, which only increases your odds for an accident; and use hand signals to designate turns. Be aware of your surroundings.
Law enforcement agencies must make it a priority in 2014 to improve awareness of safety on our roads. We applaud Cape Coral for its plans to conduct red-light operations at least twice a month and implement enforcement operations in various neighborhoods. We hope other area law enforcement agencies follow suit as well. Conducting various educational campaigns on driving, walking and pedaling safe also will go a long way in cutting down on the number of fatalities.
Lee County’s rise in deaths comes at a time when the state is seeing a drop in traffic fatalities, registering 2,208 deaths this year, compared to 2,427 last year. But Florida remains atop a very dubious perch. From 2000-09, a Transportation for America study ranked the state the most dangerous in the nation for pedestrians as 5,163 were killed. That amounts to 11 percent of all those killed nationwide during the same time period. The county’s pedestrian fatality rate was more than twice the national average during that time period with 3.4 per 100,000 people. We continually rank among the top 10 worst counties in the state for pedestrian safety.
We don’t seem to have made much progress since then.
In a recent opinion piece in The News-Press, county Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, a former Fort Myers detective, says he plans to meet with various law enforcement and safety agency representatives next month to discuss possible solutions. It is an important step. He also says the county is committed to improving curbing and building sidewalks to improve safety conditions. All municipalities need to look at their road and sidewalk infrastructure and find ways to improve safety.
Florida is perfect for walking and bicycling. Our weather allows the ability to do that on most days.
We also have more people than all but three other states and with that comes a higher risk for accidents. Our local law enforcement agencies must be aggressive in 2014 in implementing safety awareness campaigns.
But more than anything, we need to pay attention to what is happening whether we are driving, walking or cycling.
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