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:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• The District Department of Transportation and Washington Area Bicyclists Association train thousands of children and others on pedestrian and bike safety every year.

• 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.