Safety
California’s reliance on cars not only enables America’s oil addiction and causes unhealthy air pollution and climate change, but it also creates a system of development that prioritizes drivers over pedestrians. As a result, it is unsafe to commute by foot or bicycle in California. From the year 2000 and 2009 there were 6,957 pedestrian deaths, which cost 
California $29.92 billion. That’s 2 deaths per 100,000 residents. Sixty percent of these deaths occurred on streets where the speed limit was over forty miles per hour, and forty percent were in places where there were no available crosswalks. Only ten percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred inside crosswalks. Tragically, children, the elderly and racial and ethnic minorities suffer a disproportionately high number of pedestrian deaths.
Fortunately, most pedestrian injuries and deaths can be inexpensively prevented by retrofitting existing roads to calm traffic, build complete streets and create walkable communities. Sierra Club California’s Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled campaign supports transportation options to reduce the danger associated with getting out of the car in California. Visit our Resources page to learn more
Road Wear and Congestion
Coming Soon!
