Pedestrian death rates in New York and New Jersey – which have the two highest rates of pedestrian fatalities in the nation – did not improve much in 2001 over recent years.

New Jersey pedestrian fatalities are slightly lower than in past years, according to preliminary data from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety.In 2001, 126 pedestrians, or 17% of the 734 total traffic fatalities, were killed as the result of automobile crashes, down from 145 the year before.Pedestrian fatalities from 1989-2000 ranged from 144 to 217 deaths in a year.

The drop, however, brings New Jersey only slightly closer to Governor Whitman's 1998 challenge to halve pedestrian deaths within ten years.In that year, the state had 217 pedestrian deaths, or 24% of the 891 traffic fatalities.

Although New York City auto crashes dropped by 7% from 2000 to 2001, pedestrian deaths remained level, according to NYPD statistics published in the Daily News.The drop in city traffic after September 11, when driving restrictions were put into place, seems to have reduced accidents but did not create safer conditions for pedestrians.

In 2001, 244,515 crashes resulted in 385 fatalities, which included 183 pedestrians and 14 cyclists.Although this was a drop of over 20,000 accidents from the last year, the number of fatalities remained about the same.

The fact that pedestrian fatalities remained level despite such a significant reduction in the number of crashes indicates that 2001 saw deadlier crashes than previous years.Traffic speeds may have increased in the last quarter of the year owing to less congested roads and less stringent enforcement of speed limits.According to the Daily News, moving violations dropped 11.6% in 2001, partly because officers were re-deployed after September.

As a result of these conditions, Transportation Alternatives has called for an increase in fines for moving violations such as speeding.

NJ Pedestrian Deaths Slightly Lower in 2000 (Jan. 29, 2001)

1999's High Pedestrian and Bicyclist Death Toll (Jan. 7, 2000)

MTR search facility and back issues:

Search our database of all past issues of Mobilizing the Region since Fall, 1994.

Go to index of all Mobilizing the Region back issues