1. This is a short thread that will try to look at AirPods and electronic devices in the context of Toronto’s pedestrian fatalities.
Let’s look at the numbers we have available.
Let’s look at the numbers we have available.
2. To begin, 351 pedestrians were fatally injured in collisions with cars, trucks, and transit vehicles from 2008 to 2018. All numbers are from the TPS Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) statistics.
3. The KSI dataset includes an attribute ‘PEDCOND’ (pedestrian condition), one descriptor of which is ‘inattentive’. Presumably, distraction owing to AirPods/devices would be some subset of this category.
4. If we assume that pedestrians walking while distracted by devices are likely to be under 60, we arrive at 18 fatalities, from 2008 – 2018, where the pedestrian was under 60, and where PEDCOND is indicated as ‘inattentive’. (again, the true number would be a subset of this)
5. Now, to put that number in perspective:
From 2008 – 2018 twenty-four (24) pedestrians were killed in Toronto while on the sidewalk or shoulder.
From 2008 – 2018 twenty-four (24) pedestrians were killed in Toronto while on the sidewalk or shoulder.
6. I’ll repeat that:
From 2008-2018, based on KSI statistics, it would seem that more pedestrians fatalities occurred on sidewalks and shoulders – likely several times more - than involved inattentiveness owing to such things as AirPods/electronic devices.
From 2008-2018, based on KSI statistics, it would seem that more pedestrians fatalities occurred on sidewalks and shoulders – likely several times more - than involved inattentiveness owing to such things as AirPods/electronic devices.
7. More perspective:
From 2008 – 2018, eighty-eight (88) pedestrians were fatally injured while crossing with the right of way.
From 2008 – 2018, eighty-eight (88) pedestrians were fatally injured while crossing with the right of way.
8. And one additional reference point:
From 2008 – 2018, one hundred and thirty (130) pedestrian fatalities are indicated as having involved aggressive driving. (a number that is almost certainly under-reported)
From 2008 – 2018, one hundred and thirty (130) pedestrian fatalities are indicated as having involved aggressive driving. (a number that is almost certainly under-reported)
9. This, by the way, is how the KSI glossary defines aggressive driving.
10. So when a leader steps up to a podium to talk about safer streets and says ‘but AirPods…’, they are - whether intentionally or unintentionally – muddying the waters of informed discussion, and distracting from the matters on which we should be focusing our attention.
Re: the actual number distracted by electronic devices being a subset of (smaller than) the number used in this thread (18 of 351).
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Another good data source to append to this thread: pedestrian fatalities involving pedestrian use of electronic devices as a percent of all pedestrian fatalities, by year.
0.2% and under.
From the US NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
0.2% and under.
From the US NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
