A new study paints a grim picture of American roads: every day, 20 people walk outside and end up killed by a moving vehicle.
"There are more pedestrians being killed today than in decades," Russ Martin, the senior director of policy and government relations at the Governors Highway Safety Association, told NPR.

一项新研究描绘了美国道路的可怕景象:每天有20人走出家门后被行驶中的车辆撞死。
“如今,比几十年前更多的行人丧生,”州高速公路安全协会(Governors Highway Safety Association)的高级政策与政府关系总监Russ Martin告诉NPR电台。
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The organization, which tracks pedestrian deaths in the U.S., estimates that more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed by drivers last year — the highest number since 1981. The final tally may be even greater given that Oklahoma was unable to provide data due to a technical issue.
Pedestrian deaths have been climbing since 2010 because of unsafe infrastructure and the prence of SUVs, which tend to be more deadly for pedestrians than smaller cars, according to Martin. When the pandemic arrived, there was an even greater surge as empty roads gave way to speeding and distracted driving.
The pandemic has waned, but cases of reckless driving — and subsequently the number of Americans killed while walking — has not. The new data, released on Friday, shows the U.S. continues to lag in its effort to improve road safety, even as experts say some solutions are within reach.

这个跟踪美国行人死亡情况的组织估计,去年有超过7,500名行人被司机撞死,这是自1981年以来的最高数字。考虑到俄克拉荷马州由于技术问题无法提供数据,最终的统计数字可能更高。
Martin表示,由于不安全的基础设施和SUV车的普及,自2010年以来行人死亡案例就一直在上升,SUV车对行人来说比较小型车更具致命性。当疫情来临时,空旷的道路导致超速和分心驾驶的问题更加突出,这进一步加剧了行人死亡人数的增长。
尽管疫情已经减弱,但鲁莽驾驶的案例和因此死亡的美国人数量并没有下降。上周发布的新数据显示,即使专家们表示一些解决方案可行,美国在改善道路安全方面仍然落后。

States below the Sun Belt ranked as having the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in 2022
For the seventh year in a row, New Mexico was ranked as the most dangerous state for pedestrians.
Arizona and Florida were also placed in the top spots for having high rates of pedestrian deaths in GHSA's estimates.
It is not a coincidence that all three states are situated below the country's Sun Belt. Martin said Southern states tend to see more traffic deaths but it is not exactly clear why.
There are multiple theories: in bigger states, communities are more spread out and as a result, people need to drive more to get around, he said. Another possibility is that Southern states have better weather and people spend more time outside.
"This is all just conjecture, but I think it's certainly worthwhile to take a closer look into what's going on in those states," he added.

根据2022年的数据,位于美国阳光地带以南的州被认为是行人死亡率最高的州。连续第七年,新墨西哥州被评为最危险的州,行人死亡率最高。亚利桑那州和佛罗里达州也位居行人死亡率高的前几位。
这三个州都位于美国的阳光地带下方并非巧合。Martin表示,南方州往往会看到更多的交通死亡案例,但尚不清楚确切原因。有多种理论,他说,较大的州中社区分散,人们需要更多开车来四处活动。另一个可能性是南方州的天气较好,人们在户外活动的时间更长。
他补充说:“这只是一种推测,但我认为更值得仔细研究一下这些州发生的情况。”
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Local lawmakers can implement traffic calming measures today
Traffic safety has been an uphill battle in the U.S. for years but there are strategies at lawmakers' disposal to address the crisis today, according to Peter Norton, a professor at the University of Virginia who has studied the history of driving in America.
"The best things we can do will take years, but there are some things we can do now, they don't cost much money and they make a big difference," he said.

当地立法者今天可以实施交通缓行措施
弗吉尼亚大学研究美国驾驶历史的教授彼得·诺顿表示,多年来,交通安全在美国一直是一场艰苦的战斗,但今天立法者可以制定一些策略来解决这场危机。
他说:“我们能做的最好的事情需要数年时间,但我们现在可以做一些事情,它们不需要太多钱,而且会产生很大的影响。”。

For instance, implementing sharp corners instead of round curves at the end of roads forces drivers to slow down to turn and therefore prevents speeding. That technique, along with adding pedestrian islands and large sidewalk bulb-outs, is known as "traffic calming."
Norton said installing speeding and red light cameras can also be effective if they work properly. Adding bike lanes can also keep drivers more alx on the road.
Lowering speed limits is also an important step but only if it is enforced and used alongside other safety measures. Norton warned that roads with a mix of different vehicle speeds tend to be more dangerous.

例如,将道路的尾部曲线改为锐角弯道,可以迫使驾驶员减速转弯,从而防止超速。这种技术,以及增加人行道岛和宽大的人行便道,被称为“交通缓行”。
诺顿表示,如果速度和红灯相机能够正常工作,那么安装这些设备也是有效的。增加自行车道也可以使驾驶员在道路上更加警觉。
降低限速也是重要的一步,但前提是要进行执法,并与其他安全措施一起使用。诺顿警告称,速度不同的车辆混行的道路往往更加危险。

There are also some local and regional measures the GHSA pointed to that could help prevent deaths.
In Hawaii, police officers are stationed in areas that have seen a higher volume of crashes or foot traffic to look out for reckless driving.
And in Idaho, the state's highway safety office gave out walk audits for community members to identify safety concerns on the street. Local officials then use the results to improve the walkability of neighborhoods.

根据美国州高速公路安全协会(GHSA)提出的建议,还有一些地方和区域性的措施可以帮助预防死亡事故。
在夏威夷,警察会驻扎在发生更多碰撞或人流量更大的地区,以防止鲁莽驾驶。
而在爱达荷州,该州的公路安全办公室会为社区成员提供步行审查,以确定街道上的安全问题。地方官员随后利用结果来改善社区的适宜步行性。