Bipartisan proposals aims to improve pedestrian safety at dangerous crossings nationwide

Whether you live in a big city or a small town, road safety is a major concern.

For some like the Hall family in Pennsylvania, it can be an issue of life and death.

“The bicycle was about 50 yards away from her, mangled, she was mutilated,” said Valerie Hall whose daughter-in-law was hit and killed by a driver last summer.

The Governors Highway Safety Association tracks these deadly crashes. Its latest data shows 3,373 people were hit and killed by drivers during the first half of 2023 which is a slight decline from the year before.

“One of the things that I have seen unfortunately – the urban areas are disproportionately affected by these fatalities,” said Rep. Mike Carey, R – Ohio/

Ohio Congressman Mike Carey is working on a bipartisan proposal to help reduce those deadly crashes. The bill is called the ‘Save Our Pedestrians Act of 2024′ and it would set aside roughly $100 million annually from the Highway Safety Improvement Program for projects aimed at making dangerous pedestrian crossings much safer.

“We’re trying to get to prioritize cross walks, you know sidewalks,” said Rep. Carey.

America Walks is a national advocacy group that helps communities create safe and accessible places to walk and move.

“I believe the bill reflects a growing understanding that we need to shift resources toward pedestrian safety, and away from mindlessly favoring the movement of vehicles at high speeds,” said Mike McGinn, Executive Director of America Walks, in a written statement.

The Governors Highway Safety Association says most roads prioritize high speed traffic which means many parts of country don’t have enough safety measures like sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting.

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