Up to now month, a number of tragic incidents have occurred at HBCUs throughout the USA. Six HBCU college students have misplaced their lives resulting from visitors accidents on this month alone. This alarming price of visitors fatalities amongst our college students has grow to be an pressing concern, demanding instant motion.
As we proceed mourning the lack of our HBCU college students, and with Spring Fest approaching, we wish to increase consciousness about secure driving practices that prioritize scholar security each on and off campus. By highlighting these points, we hope to encourage insurance policies supporting investments in transportation infrastructure and security measures nationwide.
We urge you to hitch us in addressing this rising epidemic in order that we are able to shield the lives of our HBCU college students. This text is a tribute to the reminiscence of Jayrick Washington, Khai Walker, Chazan Web page, Xiomara Moore, Mohamed Samura, Thaduba Turay, and all of the HBCU college students impacted by visitors fatalities this 12 months.
A latest report from the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration discovered that U.S. visitors deaths fell 3.6% final 12 months, though almost 41,000 individuals had been killed on the nation’s roadways. Whereas the general estimate of visitors deaths might have decreased, deadly accidents amongst college students at Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities have elevated considerably.
A 2021 examine by the Boston College College of Public Well being (BUSPH) and Harvard T.H. Chan College of Public Well being discovered that Black Individuals had been disproportionately affected by traffic-related deaths—and that these disparities in fatalities had been bigger than earlier estimates present.
Revealed within the American Journal of Preventive Medication in June 2022, the examine discovered that journey distances differ amongst racial/ethnic teams when strolling, biking, or driving—and when these variations in exercise ranges are taken under consideration, Black Individuals had the very best visitors fatality price per mile traveled and throughout all modes, adopted by Hispanics, Whites, and Asians. These disparities had been notably stark for strolling, biking, and night hours.
Analysis in visitors fatalities amongst Black Individuals discovered:
Black individuals had been greater than twice as possible, for every mile walked, to be struck and killed by a automobile as white pedestrians.Â
About one-third of all traffic-related fatalities contain drunk drivers.
From 2015-2019, Black Individuals had the second-highest per capita price of hit-and-run pedestrian deaths.
In 2020, Black individuals represented the biggest enhance in visitors deaths final 12 months than every other racial group, whilst Individuals drove much less total because of the pandemic, based on just lately launched information.
Pedestrian and bike owner accidents are typically concentrated in poorer neighborhoods which have a bigger share of Black and Hispanic residents. These neighborhoods share a historical past of under-investment in fundamental visitors security measures comparable to streetlights, crosswalks and sidewalks, and an over-investment in car infrastructure meant to hurry by way of individuals who don’t reside there.Â
Site visitors fatalities have gotten more and more prevalent amongst Black Individuals in the USA. To enhance highway security, we should present equitable sources and security measures to these disproportionately affected. This inequality is a critical difficulty that may have deadly, social, and traumatic penalties, which Black Individuals usually expertise interchangeably.
Be part of us by elevating consciousness round Black Individuals impacted by the visitors dying epidemic by supporting the next options:
Implement velocity limits, and add timber to supply visible cues for drivers to decelerate.
Implement visitors calming measures in Black communities to scale back dashing and aggressive driving.
Implement sobriety checkpoints in Black communities to discourage and catch drunk drivers.
Improve police enforcement of visitors legal guidelines to discourage reckless driving conduct and catch drunk drivers.
Enhance infrastructure in Black neighborhoods to make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Present training and consciousness campaigns on secure driving practices.
Promote public transportation choices to scale back the variety of automobiles on the highway.
Deal with systemic points comparable to racial profiling and discrimination in visitors stops to make sure truthful therapy for Black drivers.
Put money into know-how comparable to automated enforcement techniques to enhance highway security.
Different nations have proven that straightforward interventions could make a distinction in lowering visitors fatalities. Metropolis planners must acknowledge that pedestrians and cyclists ought to be capable of transfer round safely in their very own communities. Implementing measures comparable to visitors calming, bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings will help tackle the disproportionate influence of visitors accidents on Black Individuals and create safer highway environments for all.
