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Educating public could reduce U.S. 19 deaths© St. Petersburg Times published January 25, 2002 It is one of life's earliest lessons: Cross at the green, not in between. It needs obvious reinforcement in the wake of statistics analyzed by Times staff writer Matthew Waite that showed jaywalking has become a public safety concern along the county's most dangerous road -- U.S. 19. Between 1990 and 2000, three-quarters of the 58 pedestrians killed on the west Pasco highway were jaywalking at the time. It didn't get any better in 2001. Eleven pedestrians, a single year record, were killed walking on or near U.S. 19 last year and seven of them were struck as they attempted to cross the highway at an improper location. Not crossing at an intersection was the most common denominator for fatal pedestrian accidents along U.S. 19 in west Pasco -- more so than a lack of street lighting or alcohol involvement -- in the 10 years ending in 2000. The role of alcohol in last year's pedestrian fatalities is not yet known. The safest stretch of the multilane highway is in the vicinity of Gulf View Square where five traffic signals within 1.2 miles provide ample opportunities for pedestrians to cross safely. Since 1989, there hasn't been a pedestrian fatality between Stone Road and Regency Park Boulevard. Pedestrian crossings on other stretches of the highway, on average, are about a half-mile apart. Adding more stoplights, though, isn't an answer. Stop-and-go traffic is problematic enough. Throw in a preponderance of curb cuts and median openings that keep vehicles zipping into the highway at any point, the lack of sidewalks along the road's edges, and a dearth of street lights, and U.S. 19 is a hazard for drivers and pedestrians alike. "Even under the best of circumstances, there are a lot of risks in trying to cross that highway," said Marc Yacht, public health director in Pasco County. Transportation officials are cognizant of the highway's dangers. In December, volunteers handed out flashing lights to pedestrians to increase their nighttime visibility. A commitment to add sidewalks would be welcome. But at least, the state Department of Transportation plans to install street lights on a more remote portion of U.S. 19, north of State Road 52 in Hudson, where 30 pedestrians have died since 1990. That effort, however, won't begin until the state fiscal year beginning in July 2003. Social issues beyond the scope of public safety officials -- poverty and the accompanying lack of reliable transportation coupled with alcohol abuse -- means the problem won't go away just with additional capital spending. Still, local officials could promote a public education campaign about the highway's hazards to pedestrians. They should wear light-colored clothing, carry a light or flasher and, most importantly, cross at a traffic signal. It is the kind of message Pasco County could mandate on U.S. 19 bus benches as it renegotiates contracts with a pair of private companies. Ditto for the outdoor advertising industry that supplants paid advertisements with public service announcements to keep its billboards from going dormant for extended periods of time. The message would be simple. Three of every four pedestrians killed on this road try to cross without benefit of a traffic light. Don't be next.
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