Pedestrian deaths in Chicago have risen over the last five years, according to the city's Transportation Department.
Pedestrian deaths in Chicago have risen over the last five years, up to 46 fatalities in 2017 compared with 27 in 2013, the city’s Transportation Department said Wednesday.
Most of the deaths occurred in neighborhoods on the South and West sides. The overall increase echoes a national trend of higher pedestrian fatalities in recent years, which safety experts say could be the result of more vehicles on the roads, high vehicle speeds and electronic distractions for both drivers and walkers.
Chicago saw 44 pedestrian deaths in 2016, down slightly from the 46 reported a year earlier. Two deaths were reported in January of this year.
“As we have said repeatedly, every one of these fatalities is an unacceptable tragedy that should have been prevented,” said Michael Claffey, spokesman for the Transportation Department.
The city put forward a “Vision Zero” plan last June to eliminate traffic deaths and serious crashes. Under the plan, the city said it is pushing for more safety education, intersection changes like curb “bump-outs” to shorten walking distances across streets, and encouraging policies and technologies that make for safer vehicles and professional drivers.
The city said it is also focusing efforts on high-crash areas, which are mostly in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods on the South and West sides.