Dangerous by design is a report created by Smart Growth America that addresses pedestrian safety in the roads of the U.S.A. Along with the statistics of each state and the nation-wide numbers, it includes a couple of interactive maps that let the visitor explore the statistics about pedestrian fatalities in the U.S.A.
North american communities are ready to see a renaissance in walking. People in the U.S.A are walking more often, for fun and to get to places in their neighborhoods. Many of the most walkable places in the U.S.A are also some of the most economically active in the country. Hundreds of cities have adopted policies that place walking at the forefront of decision-making processes.
Yet the american roadways have inherited the results of design practices that were not focused on pedestrians. The safety of the streets in america makes them, as the report’s title say, “Dangerous by design”. In the years between 2003 and 2012 more than 47.000 people died walking in north american streets. Alone in 2012 pedestrians accounted for almost 15 percent of all deaths related to traffic accidents.
Dangerous by design analyses where the fatalities happened, who is more exposed to dangerous roads, and presents data from every state, metropolitan area and county in the U.S. Pedestrian fatalities can be prevented through better design practices, policies and regulations. Just as such instruments prepare cities for natural catastrophes, they can also be used to design urban spaces that keep the pedestrians safe. With the report and the interactive online tools, Smart Growth America brings to the table a bold argument for human cities.
Credits:
Screenshots: www.smartgrowthamerica.org
Interactive map: DataMade