Politics & Government

Van Hollen Among 68 Reps Calling for Pedestrian, Bike Safety

A bipartisan group of congressional members sends a letter to transportation secretary urging him to find ways to reduce fatalities.

Approximately 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists are fatally struck by cars in the United States each year, representing a decrease of about 20 percent since the early '90s, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fatalities involving bicyclists and pedestrians represent a higher percentage of all roadway deaths now than in previous years, though, argued members of Congress in a letter urging federal transportation officials to enact safety measures they passed last year in the Moving Ahead in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Dist 8) was one of 68 House members who sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood March 23 calling for more action from the agency to protect pedestrians and cyclists. 

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"Federal law requires states to set performance goals in order to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries and has offered rewards to states that meet their goals," the letter reads. "In addition, MAP-21 requires the Department of Transportation to develop performance measures for safety [...], while increasing the funding available to states for the Highway Safety Improvement Program."

The transportation package authorizes about $81 billion for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 highway projects, with about $4.8 billion going directly to the safety improvement program, according to Transportation Department data. 

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In Montgomery County, pedestrian collisions per 100,000 residents fell to 40.5 in 2011, the last year the analysis was completed, from 46.7 in 2005, according to a May 2012 review from a police statistics unit.

Five pedestrians and one bicyclist have died in Montgomery County in 2013, Montgomery County Patch websites have reported. A total of 14 pedestrian and one bicyclist incidents were reported in the county during that time frame. 


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