“This initiative is aimed at reversing the recent rise in deaths and injuries among the growing number of Americans who bicycle or walk to work, to reach public transportation and to other important destinations,” said Foxx, who wrote about his personal experiences with pedestrian safety in a recent blog post. Nationwide, pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities have increased since 2009, at a rate higher than vehicle fatalities, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Pedestrians and bicyclists in low-income areas that lack safe infrastructure are particularly vulnerable.
The new 18-month campaign will start with road safety assessments conducted by U.S. D.O.T. field offices. The initiative will promote infrastructure safety, education, vehicle safety and data collection. Click here to read the plan.