NTSB Wants To Combat Surge In Pedestrian Fatalities With New Safety Measures

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is pushing for changes that would help combat pedestrian fatalities, which have gone up a whooping 46% from 2009 to 2016.

Among their recommendations are improved headlights and braking for vehicles, as well as improvements to local infrastructure and better data-collection measures. In 2016, there were a total of 5,987 pedestrian deaths, the most since 1990, reports Automotive News.

“There is a real face to this,” said NTSB chairman Robert L. Sumwalt. “It’s your neighbor, it’s the girl you went to school with, it’s your co-worker.”

In total, the board made 11 recommendations to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the Federal Highway Administration and even the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).

With regards to vehicle designs, the board called for the NHTSA to establish new guidelines such as better headlight standards and pedestrian-detection systems. Automakers are also encouraged to incorporate more pedestrian-friendly features, like softer bumpers.

During a phone interview prior to the NTSB meeting, Russ Martin, the organization’s director of policy and government relations said that changes such as adding more medians and sidewalks could be part of the solution, as could lane reductions, automatic speed enforcement, improved lighting at night and better public education, such as calling a ride-sharing service if you’ve had a little too much to drink.

Meanwhile, cities like New York have seen their pedestrian fatalities fall to just 101 last year, the lowest since they’ve been keeping track.

“The lower speed limit, increased enforcement and safer street designs are all building on each other to keep New Yorkers safe,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a statement.