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Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Walking While Black: New Research Examines Why It's So Dangerous

Non-white pedestrians die at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts. Recent studies suggest drivers' prejudices may be to blame.

Being a pedestrian in the United States is much more dangerous for black, Native American and Hispanic people than for whites.

Blacks make up 12.2 percent of the population but accounted for 19.3 percent of all pedestrian deaths in the decade ending in 2014, according to a Smart Growth America study. The situation is even worse for Native Americans, who have 4.5 times the pedestrian fatality rate as whites. Hispanics, meanwhile, make up 16.9 percent of the population but 21.5 percent of these deaths. In fact, the study found that the fatality rates of non-white pedestrians exceeded their share of the population in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia.

It's not clear why those disparities are so stark, but there are many plausible explanations.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

walking with the flow of traffic rather than against it, as is MD Law.

wearing dark colored clothing so as to not be seen.

walking in traffic lanes with headphones on.

I've seen this in Salisbury in the day and night.

I don't understand why non-whites get hit more either, other than natural selection.

Anonymous said...

It is so bad for blacks living here, they should just throw in the towel and move to Africa. They can do just like all of the Hollywood stars did when Trump became the President.

Anonymous said...

They where all black clothing which you can't at night til it's too late. They also walk out into traffic like they in the road instead of preceding when safe to do so after looking both ways. Just to name a few reasons

Anonymous said...

Here's a few ideas:

They don't know, or haven't been taught, which side of the road to walk on.

Fewer have transportation, or driving privileges have been taken away.

Higher rates of public intoxication.

More walk in the road, rather than on sidewalks, even when sidewalks are available. I've seen this many times and wonder why. Maybe a fear of dogs coming out of yards and attacking them?


Just to name a few....

Anonymous said...

Just total disrespect for everything. Tell them they have to walk in the street, they will walk on the sidewalks.

Anonymous said...

3:46 is exactly correct. I cannot feel sorry for people who habitually disregard (and even blatantly flaunt) the law. Walk on the sidewalks and you won't get hit and killed. It really is pretty simple.

Anonymous said...

Could it be that white people have enough sense to stay out of the road?

Anonymous said...

I would think they don't move to Africa because there aren't enough white population to pay their way to stay.
Sooo, while you are walking the skreet, here is a suggestion. Keep the food wrappers and tall cans on your person and not in the skeet or my manicured lawn you turds.

Anonymous said...

It's not "walking while black" It's walking on Chicago's south side while anybody.

Anonymous said...

For pete's sake.
I believe there was an article a year or so ago that mentioned poor neighborhoods are less likely to have sidewalks. Instead of blaming the drivers, I'd look at the town councils and, as mentioned, the walkers themselves.

Anonymous said...

What is the Asian rate ?

Anonymous said...

Zero... They are the ones running over all the pedestrians.