Even with the help of pedestrian crosswalks and pedestrian signals, according to the National Highway Traffic Association and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2009 approximately 4,902 pedestrians are killed in motor vehicle accidents in the United States. 14% of the total fatalities reported in a year are pedestrian related. 59,000 pedestrians were injured in motor vehicle accidents. Most of these accidents could have been prevented by way of safety precautions.

States and local communities are responsible for implementing the pedestrian safety campaigns through local television, radio stations, and print media.  With the growing Hispanic community, many states are distributing material in Spanish. Pedestrian accidents are a big problem in Latin American, where there are little to no laws enforcing pedestrian safety.  Materials such as posters are being posted at local Motor Vehicle Offices in both English and Spanish. While a pedestrian safety campaign may never eradicate pedestrian fatalities, it will help reduce accidents and teach pedestrian that they too must abide by the law when crossing the street.

Here are the Highlights of 2009 NHTSA report:  NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts: Highlights of 2009 Motor Vehicle Crashes