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Pedestrian deaths up in 2009

Star Tribune

Last update: October 1, 2009 - 9:00 PM

Minnesota had more pedestrian deaths in the first nine months of 2009 than it did in all of 2008, state officials said Thursday.

The Department of Public Safety reported that 26 pedestrians died on roads so far this year. There were 25 deaths in Minnesota in all of 2008. In the first nine months of 2008, there were 17.

Even so, this year's spike is unlikely to get Minnesota anywhere close to its all-time totals. Looking at just the past two decades, the state's yearly high is 61 pedestrian deaths in 1991.

The Department of Public Safety called for increased driver awareness and asked pedestrians to cross smartly and legally during what typically is a dangerous time of year for them. In autumn, the department said, foot traffic increases as school resumes. Also, darkness lingers longer in the morning and falls earlier at night, inhibiting visibility. October was 2008's deadliest month for pedestrians, with four fatalities.

"Every corner and intersection is a crosswalk, whether it's marked or unmarked, and drivers must stop for crossing pedestrians," Cheri Marti, director of the department's Office of Traffic Safety, said in a news release.

"Pedestrians must cross with caution, and remember that while you can see a vehicle's headlights, that doesn't necessarily mean motorists can see you."

PAUL WALSH

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