DAVENPORT, Iowa — The Davenport Police Department gave some safety advice and tips alongside crash data from 2021 to help prevent pedestrian deaths in crashes.
The department released a few data points shining a light on pedestrian deaths as they increased significantly from previous years.
DPD and Iowa Department of Transportation data shows that the city saw 13 fatal crashes in 2021, 7 of which involved the death of a pedestrian.
In 2020, pedestrian deaths made up three of the 12 fatal crashes, with 2019 and 2018 data both containing only one pedestrian death, among six and seven fatal crashes, respectively.
According to Davenport police statistics, 70% of fatal crashes involving pedestrians in 2021 involved impairment from drugs and/or alcohol on the part of either the pedestrian or a driver.
Of that same group of crashes, 85% also involved improper actions by the pedestrian, most commonly featuring the pedestrian crossing outside of a crosswalk or intersection and not yielding to cars.
News 8 has asked the Davenport Police Department for assistance in making these statistics clearer and is awaiting further information.
"There are many different modes of transportation, but at one time or another, everyone is a pedestrian. When drivers maintain safe speeds and practice safe driving behaviors, safer walking environments are created for you, your loved ones, and others in our community," said Sgt. Jason Willey.
Police tips for driver safety include:
- Always look out for passengers
- Use extra caution in bad driving conditions
- Slow down when preparing to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk
- Yield to pedestrians and stop well behind crosswalks
- Never pass stopped vehicles at crosswalks
- Follow other basic safety measures like following speed limits and not driving under the influence.
For pedestrians, DPD gave these safety tips:
- Always follow the traffics rules, signs, and signals,
- Walk on sidewalks when available, or walk facing traffic while staying far away from the road when sidewalks are absent
- Always cross streets at intersections or crosswalks and look both ways before crossing
- If a crosswalk or intersection is unavailable, cross at a well-lit area and wait for a gap in traffic.
- Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing out of public parking
- Avoid alcohol or drugs when walking
"Whether you're behind the wheel of a vehicle or pedestrian, we want our community to be safe. Look both ways before you cross the street and if driving, keep a watchful eye for pedestrians," said Sgt. Kris Mayer.