The month-long observance kicks off with Stop on Red Week August 4-10, 2024
With Independence Day in the rearview mirror and September just around the corner, enjoying the summer has been kicked into overdrive. As we walk, bike, and drive across Long Island for our summer activities, we must proceed with caution.
August is National Traffic Awareness Month. Like all awareness months, this observance is meant to shed much-needed light on an issue that plagues our communities: injury and fatality on our roadways. With the school year just around the corner and the nicer days dwindling away, the number of vehicles and pedestrians on the road will increase. New drivers will be starting their first commutes, leading to road congestion and rising tempers for seasoned drivers. With a new school year approaching, students of all ages may be starting their pedestrian walk to school on new paths and with new distractions.
Traffic safety advocates hope to reverse the upward trend of NYS traffic fatalities illustrated in New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s Moving in the Wrong Direction report on the rising number of traffic fatalities throughout the state.
The June 2024 report dissects the traffic issues that have risen over the last decade. Since 2019, NYS has seen a drastic rise in traffic fatalities, which followed a four-year decline, disrupting statewide progress and many individual lives.
Regionally, Long Island peaked with the greatest number of traffic-related fatalities in 2022.
That same year, Long Island saw 1,279 pedestrian crashes according to the Institute of Traffic Safety Management and Research’s (ITSMR) Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR). ITSMR data shows that in 2023, there were a total of 1,352 pedestrian crashes across Long Island. Of the reported crashes, 870 crashes occurred in Nassau County with 24 of those reports ending in fatality. 482 crashes occurred in Suffolk County with 45 fatalities. As of July 2024, there have been 281 reported pedestrian crashes, resulting in 15 fatalities. These deaths were preventable—pedestrian and cyclist crashes are preventable when we take care as drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and people.
Traffic Safety Month kicks off with Stop on Red Week, observed by the National Coalition for Safer Roads and law enforcement from August 4 to 10. Established in 1995 by the Federal Highway Administration, this week is meant to curb the crashes caused by running a red light. With the rapid increase in car use in the United States during the 1900’s, traffic monitoring was shifted from police officers to traffic lights.
The color red was chosen for the “stop” symbol because it represented danger and was the easiest color to see through the fog from a distance to ensure enough time to slow down and stop. The first ever four-way traffic light with red, yellow, and green was implemented in Detroit in 1920, becoming the traffic norm by the mid-1930s in the U.S. Although red light cameras have helped support the cause in recent decades, the locations without cameras still see crashes caused by running a red light. The average red-light cycle is 120 seconds— keep your eyes up, stay focused, and watch for red.
Traffic lights have evolved over the years to meet the evolving needs of road users, and now we even have pedestrian and cyclist signals. Its vital that all road users pay close attention to the signals on our roadways to ensure their safety.
Check out these tips for driving safely during the summer months from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
Check your vehicle before heading out, including tire pressure, gas level, fluids, air conditioning, and Bluetooth pairing if applicable, be sure everything is in check
Plan your route, know your destination and a safe route to take before leaving to avoid distractions
Wear a seatbelt, even for a quick ride around the neighborhood
Check the expiration dates and warranties on car seats, organizations like the New York State Coalition for Transportation Safety can help install and answer any questions during the process
Stay alert, avoid distracted driving, and pull over if necessary
NHTSA also recommends the following safety tips for pedestrians because everyone can be a pedestrian and everyone deserves to walk safely:
Follow the rules of the road, obeying signs and signals
Walk on sidewalks when available, and if no sidewalks are available, hug the curb
Walking facing traffic
Always look in all directions before crossing the street or turning, and try to cross at pedestrian walkways or intersections.
When starting the engine of your car, checking the tires on your bike, or tying the shoelaces on your sneakers, be mindful of the laws and other road users you share the road with. It is our job as drivers and pedestrians to be safe, mindful and proceed with caution. Enjoy the final days of sun, say goodbye to the dog days of summer, and walk safely.
About Walk Safe Long Island (WSLI)
WSLI is a pedestrian and cyclist safety campaign that aims to teach Long Islanders about walking and biking safely through law-based education. WSLI is produced for the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety by the Long Island Health Collaborative, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
New York State is taking numerous measures to tackle the issue of pedestrian and cyclist safety, all of which culminate in the New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). The plan emphasizes making streets safer by implementing the “Three Es—” engineering, enforcement, and education. Walk Safe Long Island is part of the third “E,” education.
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