Partnership aims to increase safety for pedestrians, bikers and motorists

America Walks has become an official partner organization of the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) in an effort to improve intersection safety for pedestrians, bikers and motorists throughout the United States.

America Walks and NCSR are working together to help solve the epidemic of preventable pedestrian deaths. Between 2000 and 2009, 47,000 people were killed and 688,000 were injured in the United States while walking, according to a new report from Transportation for America. The report advocates for the use of red light safety cameras as a way to improve pedestrian safety.

“America Walks is working to make America a great place for walking,” said Scott Bricker, executive director of America Walks. “This includes making our intersections safer for pedestrians. Red-light running causes countless injuries and fatalities every year, with a large number of those deaths being innocent pedestrians. We are joining forces with the National Coalition for Safer Roads to help prevent these needless deaths. Using red light safety cameras at dangerous intersections across the country can help put an end to dangerous red-light running.”

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that 676 people were killed and 113,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running in 2009. Two-thirds of the victims in these crashes were pedestrians, bicyclists or occupants of vehicles hit by the red light runners.

The study also showed red light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008. Had the cameras been operating in all 99 U.S. cities with populations more than 200,000, more than 800 lives could have been saved.

“Working together with America Walks will make our roads safer,” said David Kelly, president and executive director of NCSR. “Pedestrian deaths caused by red-light runners are completely preventable. No family should have to suffer the loss of a loved one because of someone’s desire to beat a light. Our partnership will help make intersections safer for millions of pedestrians nationwide every day by using red light safety cameras. We will bring attention to the critical mission of making our roads safer for our children and grandchildren.”

The mission of America Walks is to make America a great place for walking by working collaboratively to share knowledge, advance policies and implement effective campaigns to promote safe, convenient and accessible walking conditions for all. This includes advocating for the use of red light safety cameras.

NCSR is a nonprofit advocacy organization that brings together industry leaders, community leaders and concerned citizens in support of red light safety camera technology. NCSR helps save lives and protect communities by demonstrating how red light safety cameras can improve driver behavior.

For more information, visit http://SafeRoadsSaveLives.org/, follow @SaferRoadsUSA on Twitter and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SaferRoadsUSA.