Crossing the street is finally becoming a bit safer. After hitting a 40-year high in 2022, pedestrian deaths decreased in 2023, according to a report published Wednesday by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The report shows a 5.4% fall in the annual number of pedestrian deaths, the first decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The association’s CEO, Jonathan Adkins, says the progress is a step in the right direction.

“We’re happy to see it going down, but we’re not having a party,” said Adkins.

The number of fatalities — 7,318 — is still far more than in 2019, before the pandemic. But Adkins said there’s some evidence that new safety initiatives could be helping. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also says that overall traffic deaths are trending down so far in 2024.

Road safety advocates have pushed for a variety of measures, including lower speed limits, more sidewalks and better lighting in pedestrian areas. Adkins says that layering multiple methods is the key to preventing deaths.

“There’s a lot of construction going on across the country that’s making the roadway safer. We’re engaging law enforcement in some new and creative ways,” said Adkins. “We’re looking at vehicle technology. So we’re doing a lot of different things, and that’s a different approach to safety in the United States.”

He singled out California, which saw the greatest decrease in pedestrian deaths, for working closely with local governments. “That’s different than, certainly, historically in roadway safety,” he said.

Adkins says that the report’s findings could reflect the start of a new trend in pedestrian safety, as initiatives continue to be implemented across the United States.

“It’s really just started in the last few years. And so I’m hopeful that that’s starting to pay off,” he said.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals many pedestrian deaths in 2023 occurred at night in areas without sidewalks. They were most likely to involve SUVs or other large vehicles.

Copyright 2024 NPR

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Applications are now open for a Tennessee grant designed to improve the safety of places of worship across the state. The Houses of Worship State Security Grant provides up to $100,000 for churches, synagogues, mosques, or temples to hire security personnel.

Michael Mann, a security consultant based in Middle Tennessee, is actively assisting local churches in applying for these funds. Mann, who also manages security at Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, has already answered several emails from local churches seeking guidance on the application process.

“Houses of worship — very specifically on Sundays, Wednesdays, and then some other days during the week — house a lot of people, so it’s a highly-occupied facility,” Mann said. “We do see crime, like vandalism, we see arson, we see domestic disputes, and unfortunately, sometimes there are active assailant events.”

The grant aims to help houses of worship hire off-duty police officers or security guards through licensed security services in Tennessee. Mann said he has helped at least 15 churches navigate the application process for a similar federal grant.

“The application specifically addresses or asks questions about any threats that your church or house of worship has had in the past two years,” Mann said. “Specifically, it’s going to ask things like terrorist attacks, violent crimes, manmade or natural disasters, etcetera. It’s going to also ask about vulnerabilities, and then the consequences of those vulnerabilities.”

Incidents such as a threatening phone call that led to the evacuation of a church near Chattanooga last weekend underscore the importance of these security measures. In December, Congregation Micah in Brentwood reported a threat emailed to them and other Jewish organizations to Metro Police.

“This kind of got big for us about 10 years ago, for churches. But the synagogues and Jewish houses of worship have been considering this for a while,” Mann said.

Mann said that places of worship do not have to wait for grant funds to take preventative actions.

“The ability for someone to see that you have some sort of security presence – it doesn’t have to be in uniform. It can be somebody in plainclothes,” Mann said, adding, “That is the number one deterrent.”

Grant applications are due by July 12.

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