Opinion

Pedestrians' free ride

Pedestrian deaths in NSW are increasing while the toll for other road users is coming down. Police say there's been an increase in the number of killed pedestrians who were affected by alcohol, and around the world the earphones of iPods, or similar devices, are believed to be behind an increase in pedestrian deaths. For the year so far pedestrian deaths in NSW are up 25 per cent.

That's a problem not only for the family and friends of the person killed but also for the driver and his or her family. The onus on the prosecution to establish guilt shifts a little when a pedestrian is killed, because while the driver will argue that he took due care the prosecution will argue that if the driver had taken due care he would not have hit the pedestrian. And being charged, as most will be, with the substantial costs of a defence adds greatly to the trauma of killing anyone, right or wrong.

In my column in The Herald today I argue that since drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists are required to meet onerous safety standards to protect themselves and other road users, pedestrians who use the road should be required to do the same. Many pre-dawn walkers, for example, wear such dark clothes as they walk along the road that they are not seen by drivers or cyclists until the last minute. And there's no limit to the inebriation of a road-using pedestrian.

It may be a little early for helmets, registration and a no-more-than-two-abreast rule for pedestrians who use the road, but barring the pedestrians' use of earphones and mobile phones while they're on the road is surely not unreasonable given that the distraction imperils everyone.

Those people who walk along the road at night, as many pre-dawn walkers do, should be required to have a light at the front and another at the back. After all, cyclists are required to have lights simply to warn other road users of their presence.

And what about a blood-alcohol limit for pedestrians who move onto the road other than to use a pedestrian crossing legally?

Should pedestrians be more responsible for the safety of other road users?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 7/09/2010 5:00:00 AM | Comments (32)

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Right on the mark Jeff. Pedestrians need to take more responsibility for their own safety. You may recall the old STOP LOOK LISTEN mantra we used to learn at school. Now young people seem to think they can walk across the road whenever they like with the onus drivers to avoid a collision. I have seen children and teenagers walk straight out in front of cars oblivious to the danger. When I asked at a local school what road safety programs they had in place, there weren't any. Seems the current philosophy, or is it foolosophy, is that it may traumatise children to warn them of any dangers. Not surprising then that pedestrian deaths are on the increase. Perhaps if irresponsible pedestrians were required to compensate drivers they involve in their acts of stupidity some may be a little more careful.

Posted by JB, 7/09/2010 6:35:44 AM, on The Herald

The ironic side to this story Jeff is the original personal music device was called a walkman.

Posted by horse, 7/09/2010 7:26:13 AM, on The Herald

if your dumb enough to keep walking onto the road without looking then eventually you will get a land cruiser across the guts. many times i have stopped for pedestrians at crossings who have just walked onto the road with the assumption that a bunch of white stripes on the road makes them invulnerable. quite often it is mums leading with a pram. when it comes to human v vehicle one should never assume right of way. mind you it may well be just evolution in progress.

Posted by judgedredd, 7/09/2010 7:53:46 AM, on The Herald

I marvel at the stupidity and rudeness of people who walk straight from behind a building line onto the crossing without so much as a split second pause.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 7/09/2010 9:57:34 AM

Helluva subject, this one! You will never get an easy anwer. Very few children even get ANY road safety given these days - as they get dropped off or picked up - or met at a bus. So the very important "early learning years" miss the road safety aspect. Adults do not hold childrens hands and teach them how to cross a road, and what to watch for - over and over again - the old look to the right, look to the left, then right again - and only cross when safe - looking all the time while crossing. So there are generations of no crossing safety already. The early days are really the best, to get the most important of life developments into ones head. It tends to keep coming back to you throughout life. Same with public transport. Parents do not travel with kiddies to teach them how to behave on a bus or train - so they have no manners on transport. A school teacher is not your parent. Parents have an obligation to teach all the early lessons in life. And if the kids get dumped at childcare - even less learning! Firstly - no money for having kids. 2nd - A parent at home with kids for first 5 years - and use this time wisely. Teach safety and manners. We have to start again now.

Posted by Rose- Lake Macquarie, 7/09/2010 8:19:44 AM, on The Herald

the women wearing the blue tank top in the body transformation ad on this website is really starting to annoy me...... you might like to pass onto the advertising people that it's a fail ad and counterproductive to the best interests of the client.

Posted by judgedredd, 7/09/2010 8:49:38 AM, on The Herald

The people who are walking and have those electrified ear plugs must be dead from the neck up. What could they be listening to? The Lords Prayer or something ! That blank stare.

Posted by old boy, 7/09/2010 9:43:35 AM, on The Herald

You've captured it well, old boy, with the blank stare.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 7/09/2010 9:58:47 AM

Over the last few years I have noticed the trend where pedestrians just walk straight out in front of the traffic with the assumption that the drivers will stop for them. I expect most of you have noticed this. It's part of the culture today - the sheer arrogance of people and their bullet proof belief that the world revolves around them. Of course the drivers have the same attitude hence we are getting more and more collisions between pedestrians and cars. Add alcohol, personal mp3 players and mobile phones and you get a deadly cocktail with Darlinghurst Road in Sydney being the classic example - a few pedestrians get skittled each week in the Russian roulette of crossing the road. We worry about snakes in camping grounds but yet don't teach our kids how to cross the road properly - we live in a topsy-turvy world.

Posted by Dastirum, 7/09/2010 10:09:55 AM, on The Herald

i like her judgedredd, and she is fit as a trout.

Posted by geoff, 7/09/2010 10:13:23 AM, on The Herald

Jeff, it is part of everyday life here, not so much with IPods, but mobile phones. I am honestly flabbergasted that few if any pedestrians get hit. There is a definite pecking order here. and people that walk are on the bottom rung...trust me I have seen some ridiculously stupid and thoughtless things done. With the state of the traffic being more electric scooter, motorcycle and bike more than cars and trucks and a view that road rules are to be used merely as guidelines, it is a wonder that there isnt wholesale carnage. It is a difficult problem both here and anywhere else in the world for that matter. In most cases the driver is going to have prove their competence behind the wheel, whilst the pedestrain will be screaming for a claims lawyer.

Posted by sid, 7/09/2010 10:17:16 AM, on The Herald

the increased deaths of pedestrians have grown along with the increased number of land cruisers on the road mowing them down.

Posted by catl, 7/09/2010 10:23:44 AM, on The Herald

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