Three of the 10 people killed in traffic accidents last year in Tuscarawas County were pedestrians.
Also, the 15 pedestrian-related crashes in 2019 represented more than a doubling of the seven in the previous year.
A program of the Tuscarawas County Health Department, Safe Communities of Tuscarawas County, is studying the causes and looking for solutions. On Feb. 26, the group’s fatal crash review committee discussed the last pedestrian death of 2019.
"Our goal is to prevent that crash from happening again ... just kind of looking for ways to educate the public," said program coordinator Kelly Snyder.
The group comprises representatives from a variety of agencies and organizations in Tuscarawas County. Four times a year, members review fatal crashes to identify patterns or trends to employ measures to make travel safer.
For statistical purposes, the pedestrian category includes bicyclists and people in wheelchairs.
This year, there has already been an accident involving a wheelchair. On Jan. 22, a 43-year-old man operating a motorized wheelchair was hit by a car on while crossing N. Broadway from Minnich Avenue NW to Minnich Avenue NE. The New Philadelphia police crash report said the wheelchair failed to yield the right-of-way to the northbound car.
The man in the wheelchair was not injured, according to Safe Communities committee member Shannon Hursey, a state-funded mobility manager who works at the Tuscarawas County Senior Center.
The crash occurred at 5:53 p.m. on a day when the sunset at 5:31 p.m. The wheelchair had no reflective material.
"What can we do at our level to get them more seen ... especially if they are going to be driving around at night?" Hursey asked at the most recent Safe Communities meeting, held Feb. 26.
Snyder said the coalition started talking about wheelchair traffic safety last year because operators are driving them on the streets.
"People are using them as vehicles," Hursey said. "They are using them to get out, to go to the stores. Unfortunately, they’re not going to quit driving."
"It’s not only a problem here. It’s a problem statewide."
She compared the task of increasing wheelchair safety to that of making Amish buggies safer on roads. More people are expected to use motorized wheelchairs in the future because of rising levels of obesity, Hursey said.
Pedestrians need to think about visibility before venturing out, according to Cathy Clarke, a Safe Communities member and death investigator at the Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office.
"If you’re going for a run at night, wear some reflective clothing," she said. "If you’re just going out and walking around with friends, wear light clothing and reflective stuff."
Snyder said the issue will become more urgent as warmer weather and longer days bring more people outside walking.
Last year’s pedestrian fatalities all occurred on stretches of road with little or no street lighting.
Two occurred in a mile-long stretch of E. High Avenue in New Philadelphia between the Shelmar Estates mobile home park and Harry Clever Field.
On Nov. 21, a 47-year-old Shelmar resident died after being hit shortly after 9 p.m. by a car. A New Philadelphia police report said there was no evidence that the motorist was out of her lane.
On May 29, a 76-year-old Canton man died after being hit by a sport utility vehicle while crossing E. High at Shel Mar Drive outside the crosswalk. The motorist had the green light, according to the New Philadelphia police crash report. The early afternoon accident occurred during a rainstorm. The deceased worked nearby.
The State Highway Patrol handled a bicycle accident in the same spot as the Nov. 21 fatality on E. High Avenue, according to Lt. Mark Glennon, New Philadelphia post commander, and a Safe Communities member.
The area has a busy Dollar General store at 1575 E. High Ave. and other businesses that may be attracting nearby residents who can walk there.
Several members of Safe Communities suggested putting educational materials about pedestrian safety in the area.
Another fatal pedestrian accident occurred Jan. 4 after a 54-year-old New Philadelphia man was hit by a pickup truck while trying to cross N. Tuscarawas Avenue at Ray Avenue. The driver told New Philadelphia police he did not see the pedestrian, who was not in a crosswalk.
"Although the roadway is lighted, it is dimly lighted," Officer David Morris wrote in his crash report.
After the incident, Morris told The Times-Reporter that the pedestrian was walking with two other people as he headed to his home on 12th Street NW. One witness said he warned the man to look out for the vehicle, and the other said he did not see it. The witnesses stayed on the sidewalk while the other man crossed.
The blood-alcohol content of the 54-year-old pedestrian who died was .294 percent, according to the crash report. As in all states, the legal blood-alcohol content limit for motorists in Ohio is .08 percent.
None of the motorists involved in the 2019 pedestrian deaths were cited for traffic violations. Glennon said the pedestrians were determined to have been at fault.
The local increase in pedestrian traffic deaths is part of a national trend.
A report released Feb. 27 by the Governors Highway Safety Association estimated that 6,590 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2019, the highest number in more than 30 years.
The analysis was based on state reports of pedestrian deaths through June 2019. After adjusting raw data based on historical trends, the governors’ association projects a 5% increase in the number of pedestrians killed during all of the 2019 calendar year.
The governors' report found several factors:
Most pedestrian fatalities occur on local roads, at night, and away from intersections.
Unsafe driving behaviors — such as speeding, distracted, and drowsy driving — pose risks to pedestrians. Alcohol impairment by the driver and/or pedestrian was reported in nearly half of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian deaths in 2018.
Pedestrians hit by a large sport utility vehicle are twice as likely to die as those struck by a car.
Safe Communities members looking to prevent crashes involving walkers, bicyclists, and wheelchair users plan to explore potential solutions. Members raised these possibilities Feb. 26:
Flashing lights for bicycles and pedestrians, recommended by Lauren Borell, public Information officer for Ohio Department of Transportation District 11.
Orange flags for motorized wheelchairs, recommended by Borell.
Learn how pedestrian-heavy cities such as New York promote safety, recommended by Clarke.
Teach bicyclists to ride in the same direction as motor vehicles, Clarke said.
Safe and well-marked crossing areas for walkers and bicyclists in the busy mile of E. High Avenue where the fatal crashes occurred, recommended by Jennifer Demuth, the health educator at the Tuscarawas County Health Department.
Education for pedestrians and raised bumps on roads to alert motorists before crosswalks, recommended by Kenneth Koch of Coshocton Driver Training School.
"Everybody has a phone now," Snyder said. "Are people distracted as they’re walking around and not watching traffic and crossing at proper places and things like that?"
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