How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

[Random]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Ban pedestrians, too, while you're at it. Then we'll be totally safe. Everybody ride horse.

Nothing's quite like the feeling of a toddler being trampled under the horsehoes, eh?

[Random]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

I have been thinking about ways to prevent pedestrian accidents. I agree that drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians should pay a $97 fine and that pedestrians who jaywalk should pay a $70 fine.

Is it me or should the fine be doubled for drivers operating a potentially lethal weapon (at least twice the pedestrian's fine: $140)?

[Pomai]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Obviously the current new law has no teeth. I just witnessed at least 8 cars making right turns, cutting in front of pedestrians on their half of the road (the clipping effect). 6 of those 8 within visible view of a police cruiser and subsidized police vehicle (2 separate intersections). All got away without consequence.

Then, this girl in a compact makes a abrupt left from Kapiolani to Atkinson while talking on her cellphone, cutting behind a pedestrian who ends up having to run out of the way, then has the nerve, while on still on her phone, to slow and stare down the pedestrian!

Unbelievable.

[Composite 2992]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

In these times of immediate gratification, fines and warnings are meaningless.

Forget handing colorful flags to pedestrians crossing streets.

Hand 'em a shotgun instead. People become amazingly polite when staring down the barrel of a 12-gauge Remington.

Also, install a 12-inch steel spike sticking out the center of every steering wheel. That should discourage drivers from doing anything that would cause them to come to a sudden stop and getting stabbed in the chest.

[MonkeyMan]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Hey! We should install several of the 12" spikes on the front bumpers of all the cars, too! Those pedestrians will think twice before stepping blindly into the street!

And it will have the side-benefit of sparing them the pain and agony of a slow death from head trauma, should they get hit. The spikes will help in putting them quickly out of their misery.

YEAH!!!

[Random]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Hand 'em a shotgun instead. People become amazingly polite when staring down the barrel of a 12-gauge Remington.

Only if there is no waiting period and pedestrian must show proof of not owning a car.

Also, modify self-defense law that would allow pedestrian to justifiably shoot the driver (be it adult or minor) from any angle and within 48 hours.

[tutusue]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Just today I saw a new "approach" to pedestrians in a crosswalk. I was driving behind a van on Farrington Hwy. not far from Waianae High School...a dangerous stretch of road...2 pedestrian fatalities in the past month. The van's driver suddenly laid on the horn; didn't just tap it a couple of times. There was no sign of brake lights. We were about a block from the next crosswalk so it took me a few seconds to realize what was happening. A man, woman and a baby in a stroller had stepped off the curb to cross the street. The van's driver would have no part of honoring the right of way even tho' s/he had way more than enough time to stop. Fortunately the pedestrians didn't take any chances and jumped back up on the curb. Again...no brake lights on the part of the van. It blasted right thru the crosswalk. My only hope, to even begin to justify such stupid, selfish behavior, is that the van contained someone with a medical emergency.

[Honoruru]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

The van's driver suddenly laid on the horn; didn't just tap it a couple of times.

Several years ago (maybe more), I remember crossing King and Punahou (always rated as one of the worst intersection for pedestiran and auto accidents). I was on one side of the street, a sweet-looking girl, calmly eating an ice cream, was on the other. The light changed, we crossed, we passed one another, and when I was 3/4 of the way across, I heard behind me the angry beeping of a car/truck/van trying to intimidate the girl to "get-out-of-the-way, because I'm coming through." But the sweet-looking girl was a real tita and she threw him a finger, as well as every known invective known to man. She almost chased the vehicle down. I wished she did.

[IBadget]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

Just today I saw a new "approach" to pedestrians in a crosswalk. I was driving behind a van on Farrington Hwy. not far from Waianae High School...a dangerous stretch of road...2 pedestrian fatalities in the past month. The van's driver suddenly laid on the horn; didn't just tap it a couple of times. There was no sign of brake lights. We were about a block from the next crosswalk so it took me a few seconds to realize what was happening. A man, woman and a baby in a stroller had stepped off the curb to cross the street. The van's driver would have no part of honoring the right of way even tho' s/he had way more than enough time to stop. Fortunately the pedestrians didn't take any chances and jumped back up on the curb. Again...no brake lights on the part of the van. It blasted right thru the crosswalk. My only hope, to even begin to justify such stupid, selfish behavior, is that the van contained someone with a medical emergency.

I think the van driver who blasted the horn to deny the pedestrians the right-of-way should have her license revoked. Drivers should put pedestrians first. The drivers who are refusing to yield to pedestrians think that they are God Almighty and can drive however they want, never mind that there are pedestrians crossing the street. Talk about insensitive, arrogant, self-important, and reckless drivers. I'm all for very tough penalties for the bad drivers. How dare they refuse to yield to pedestrians!

Drivers need to change their attitudes and drive slowly so that they don't kill or injure pedestrians. There ought to be a zero-tolerance policy against intimidating pedestrians. Intimidate a pedestrian once and your license must be revoked. Look out for pedestrians and let them take their own sweet time to cross the street. Do not start moving until all of the pedestrians are finished crossing. There simply is no excuse for being in a hurry to drive to your destination. Pedestrians come first, drivers second.

[zff]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

I know I’ll get flamed for this post because I’ll bring up a very unpopular point-of-view and offer no solution. I bring it up only because no one has yet.

I was hit by a car once when I was a kid, crossing Waipahu St. at Paiwa. I was in the crosswalk, I had the light, but the driver – who was making a right on to Waipahu – was looking for cars coming down the street and didn’t look my way. She managed to slam on her brakes just before hitting me, so luckily, I was fine.

I can certainly sympathize with the plight of the pedestrian, but I think laws that empower pedestrians are a mistake. Pedestrians should not feel empowered against cars because they have no power against cars. Nobody should feel completely safe crossing a street because it’s not completely safe to cross a street.

The law makes it more the driver’s responsibility to avoid pedestrians than it is the pedestrian’s responsibility to avoid cars. I can certainly understand why the law is geared this way, but I think it’s a fundamental mistake. This kind of mentality emboldens pedestrians in a situation they have very little chance of surviving.

I’ve seen many people very nearly get hit by cars in the exact same way I got hit: crossing a street, a driver next to you only looking the other way for cars, then accelerating into you. The odd thing is, most times, the pedestrian can see that the driver doesn’t see them, but they cross anyway. Almost always in these situations, the pedestrian will act surprised when the driver almost hits them. Many times the pedestrian will show anger toward the apologetic driver.

In the situation I just described, I believe the driver is 100% at fault, but I bring it up to illustrate how laws empower and embolden pedestrians. It’s human nature. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re thinking "if he hits me, it’s his fault", and somehow, that makes what you’re about to do less risky. I think everyone’s done this before; I know I have. I think a lot of people do this all the time.

If you take away some legal protection from pedestrians, they’re far less likely to think this way, and I believe it will greatly reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities. If you knew the driver that might hit you will not have to answer for it, you’d be far more cautious. Although pragmatic, I think this attitude is much too unfair for pedestrians. If there is a good solution, it lies somewhere else, but somewhere that takes what I’ve said into consideration.

As I’ve stated in the beginning, I offer no solution. Hang on while I put on my flame suit.

[tutusue]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

[...]As I’ve stated in the beginning, I offer no solution. Hang on while I put on my flame suit.

Zff...you have wonderfully articulated the same thoughts I've been unable to articulate. I completely agree with you while I, too, have no solution. All I know is that both pedestrians and drivers need to be more careful and held accountable for their own mistakes.

If there's a flame suit in my size, please grab it for me!

[zff]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

^^ Thank you. I'm relieved the first response isn't a flame.


Ok, I gave it some thought during lunch, and this is what I came up with.

Make it a law that drivers are required to acknowledge pedestrians in front of them by putting on their hazards, whether or not the pedestrian is crossing (or is about to cross) legally. You put your hazards on as soon as you see the pedestrian, not after you've stopped for him/her. It would be like signaling for a lane-change or a turn; a way to communicate your intentions.

By putting on their hazards, drivers are saying "I see you and will let you pass safely across my lane in front of me". Putting on your hazards and not allowing safe passage would be a grave crime, probably something like attempted vehicular homicide.

There will probably be a lot of drivers who forget to put their hazards on. They could be cited for that, and it'd be a more serious infraction than not signaling for a turn or lane change.

Pedestrians would only feel safe crossing a lane if they see a car in it with its hazards on. If they see a car w/o its hazards on, they won't cross. If they don't see a car in the lane at all, they will cross with more caution, watching for an approaching car and looking to see if it'll put its hazards on (you'd hope).

....and now for what I'm sure will be the most controversial part: If a pedestrian gets hit by a car that didn't have its hazards on, the driver would not be held accountable for hitting the pedestrian, even if the pedestrian was crossing legally. (Unless of course, there was evidence the driver ran the pedestrian down intentionally -- but that's a different crime entirely.)

I'm sure there will also be a lot of a**hole drivers who will simply not put their hazards on and scare pedestrians into staying on the sidewalk. That would be treated as a pretty serious crime with quite substantial penalties, but at least no one will try to cross in front of them. Again, I know it's unfair for the pedestrians, but so is being hit by a car.

[tutusue]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

[...]Ok, I gave it some thought during lunch, and this is what I came up with.[...]

Hmmm...I like your idea, in theory! Using one's hazard lights might be problematic, tho'. Ditto for getting the public to use a new idea. But, let's use your thoughts as a springboard.

I like the idea of a signaling system. Possibly, eventually, a "pedestrian signal light" could be added to new cars...or an aftermarket signal could be added to older cars. Maybe something with an on button on the steering wheel for ease of use...the signal light itself on a timer that would turn itself off after a predetermined time. Now that I think about it, the system should include rear lights so that cars behind are made aware of a pedestrian situation.

Of course, this doesn't address sight impaired pedestrians.

Next!

[joshuatree]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

What about plain old pedestrian overpasses? Seems like a simple yet effective solution. You don't have pedestrians attempting to cross freeways. If a stretch of road is THAT dangerous, it's time to separate the vehicular traffic from the foot traffic.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: How can we stop pedestrian accidents?

What about plain old pedestrian overpasses? Seems like a simple yet effective solution. You don't have pedestrians attempting to cross freeways. If a stretch of road is THAT dangerous, it's time to separate the vehicular traffic from the foot traffic.

True, but won't you incur the wrath of those who (a) don't want to budget the money for them, and/or (b) won't like how they affect the beautiful views for which Hawai`i is famed?