





PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY
The District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions are united against bicycle and pedestrian tragedies.
In the Washington Metropolitan region, there were 66 pedestrians and 7 bicyclists fatalities in 2013 accounting for 27% of the traffic fatalities in the region.. In the District of Columbia alone, pedestrians make up more than 40% of the total number of people killed in traffic accidents.
Below are some of the safety initiatives in the District of Columbia for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers:
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Countdown pedestrian signals have been installed in more than 95 percent of DC’s 1,550 signalized intersections over the last five years, more than any other U.S. city.
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The fine for drivers who fail to stop and give right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks is $250 and 3 points. If a driver strikes a pedestrian in the process of failing to stop, the penalty is $500 and 6 points.
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Any cyclist under 16 years of age cannot operate or be a passenger on a bicycle or any attachment to a bicycle without a helmet on a public roadway, public bicycle path or other right-of-way in the District of Columbia.
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The District Department of Transportation and Washington Area Bicyclists Association train thousands of children and others on pedestrian and bike safety every year.
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It is illegal for a driver to make a right turn in front of a bus that is stopped at an intersection to receive or discharge passengers. Violators are subject to a fine of at least $100.
THE FACTS
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In 2013, 4,735 pedestrians were killed nationwide and an estimated 66,000 were injured in traffic crashes.
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On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes.
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In 2013, 743 bicyclists were killed nationwide and an additional 48,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
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Bicyclist deaths accounted for 2% of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities, and made up 2% of all the people injured in traffic crashes during the year.
