Champion Spotlight: Huntsville, AL

This case study was written as part of our Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program. This initiative brought together champions from across the country to advance street safety efforts through data collection and storytelling. This study was written by Larry Mason, Executive Director of the Huntsville Urban Bike Share Co-op.  U.S. Highway 431, known as the “Highway … Continued

Complete Streets Transportation

Dangerous by Design 2024

A historic increase in pedestrian deaths from 2020 to 2021 shocked many, but this epidemic continues to get worse. In 2022, the most recent year with complete federal data, the number of people who were struck and killed while walking grew to 7,522, marking a 40-year high. This represents an astonishing 75 percent increase in … Continued

Complete Streets Transportation

Pedestrian deaths often occur at “safe speeds” 

Speed plays a drastically different role in pedestrian deaths than it does for drivers and their passengers. The most dangerous crashes for vehicle occupants are typically at much higher speeds and often involve speed limit violations. Pedestrians, however, face constant threats even on roads that are designed and posted at lower speeds, and when drivers … Continued

Transportation

The absence of crashes does not equal the presence of safety

Police-reported crash data tells only part of the safety story, and the risks that people walking and biking face on our roadways are potentially much higher than the numbers show. To address safety needs, performance measures and management systems cannot simply respond to crash data alone. The information and recommendations provided in SGA’s Dangerous by … Continued

Complete Streets Transportation

Champion Spotlight: Milwaukee, WI

This case study was written as part of our Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program. This initiative brought together champions from across the country to advance street safety efforts through data collection and storytelling. This study was written by Marybeth McGinnis from Wisconsin Bike Federation.   Background Fond du Lac Avenue, along which is state … Continued

Complete Streets Transportation

Design interventions for safer streets

Smart Growth America has been writing about the need for changes to street design for a long time—the first edition of Dangerous by Design came out in 2009. Despite the discouraging trends in pedestrian safety, our message remains consistent. In order to make environments safer for people walking, we need to actually change our environments. The data is clear that improving street design to slow cars, reduce conflict points, and proper and consistent infrastructure for pedestrians is the only way we’ll move the needle on safety.

Complete Streets Transportation

Champion Spotlight: Seattle, WA

This case study was written as part of our Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program. This initiative brought together champions from across the country to advance street safety efforts through data collection and storytelling. This study was written by Natalie Lubsen from Transportation Choices Coalition. There are too many news stories of people killed or … Continued

Complete Streets Transportation

Designing vehicles for pedestrians

Designing for walkability is not just about roads. The design of vehicles—everything from their size and shape to their software—has a profound effect on the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. Through our research and testing programs, IIHS is identifying vehicle improvements that can work in conjunction with infrastructure and enforcement changes to produce a safer transportation system for all.

Transportation