The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report showing that almost 6,000 pedestrians were killed in car accidents in 2017.

Online PR News � 13-March-2018 � The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report showing that almost 6,000 pedestrians were killed in car accidents in 2017. It is the second year in a row that the numbers were much higher than what had been recorded for almost 25 years. John Smith Insurance Agency, a provider of car insurance in Colorado Springs, discusses the findings and what it means for drivers throughout Colorado.

According to this report, 16 percent of traffic fatalities throughout the US were pedestrians. This number was an increase from 2007 when it was 11 percent. A total of 23 states showed increases in pedestrian deaths. The GHSA has concluded that there are two reasons for this increase: more smartphone usage and more recreational marijuana use. These factors are known to impair judgment, and it happens not only for the drivers but for the pedestrians as well. The report showed a correlation between increased smartphone usage and emergency room visits. Additionally, seven states, including Colorado, that legalized marijuana for recreational use showed a rise in pedestrian deaths while the other states had a decrease.

"A person may not feel impaired when they get behind the wheel or go to cross a street as a pedestrian," says John Smith of John Smith Insurance Agency. "However, their reflexes are often slower, and it takes longer for them to make a decision." Out on the highway, a few seconds can mean the difference between avoiding an accident and causing one. Even pedestrians may be slower to react or fail to pay attention to vehicles around them.

Smith recommends more education and advertising to bring awareness to the seriousness of the issue. Not only do drivers have to watch out for pedestrians, but those on foot must also watch out for the cars around them, he explains. It is more about paying attention to your surroundings and not being distracted. He recommends that pedestrians put down their phones when they cross a street or walk along the highway. He hopes that by showing these growing statistics, it will help people see the seriousness of the situation and enable them to make smart choices and changes to their behaviors.

While the attention has been on drivers and not driving under the influence or texting while driving, more focus needs to be put towards helping pedestrians take action to be safer as well. It is a common perception that if a pedestrian is hit by a car, it must be the driver's fault. However, the person on foot can make bad decisions, which result in an accident that the driver could not avoid.

Whether on foot or behind the wheel, Smith says everyone must pay attention to what is going on around them on the roads. It is important to not let anything distract a person so that these shocking numbers and trends will be reversed and the roadways will once again be safer for those behind the wheel and on foot.