Think Pedestrians in Wheelchairs Are Safer? Nope
Pedestrians in wheelchairs are a whopping 36% more likely to die in a traffic collision compared to those out walking, according to a new study that’s raising concerns about driver awareness and the availability of crosswalks. (Image via AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
Researchers at Georgetown University combed through news articles and data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to identify 528 wheelchair-using pedestrians killed in collisions from 2006 to 2012, reports UPI.
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Though about 5,000 pedestrians die in traffic collisions in the US each year, according to the Department of Transportation, researchers say pedestrians in wheelchairs have a much higher risk of death. The risk for male wheelchair users was five times higher than for female users, reports Reuters, while male users aged 50 to 64 had a 75% higher risk of death compared to walkers of the same age group.
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Researchers found no evidence that drivers tried to avoid a collision in 75% of crashes involving wheelchair users. Nearly half of collisions occurred at intersections; in almost 20% of those cases, there was no crosswalk available, and in nearly 40% of those cases, there were no traffic controls, reports the University Herald. This suggests “pedestrian infrastructure” is ill-suited to people with mobility impairments, study author John Kraemer says. They may even be forced to use the street thanks to a lack of curb cuts allowing them to use the sidewalk.
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“It is entirely possible that people who use wheelchairs may be at greater risk of death … because drivers are less likely to see them, brake, and collide slower; because being lower to the ground wheelchair users may be hit more squarely; or because some people who use wheelchairs may have pre-existing medical vulnerabilities,” he adds. “Understanding and describing risks are the first steps to reversing them.” (This is the deadliest day to be a pedestrian.)
By Arden Dier
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This article originally appeared on Newser: Think Pedestrians in Wheelchairs Are Safer? Nope
