EDITORIAL

By Jessi Haney

Published: June 5, 2008

You know how the age-old joke goes.
“Why did the chicken cross the road?”
And the familiar, albeit corny, punch line: “to get to the other side.”
That joke should be tweaked for 21st century roads today, considering all of the traffic that travels on them. In other words, how in heavens name did the chicken make it safely across the road? 
All kidding aside, pedestrian safety should be a concern in every community across America - even smaller, cozier ones like our county seat, Stanardsville.
In a time where “revitalization” is the word du jour among local leaders, any plans for the future of the town should include measures that help ensure the safety of walkers.
As the population continues to age, as more automobiles travel through the streets of Stanardsville - and as efforts increase to attract even more people to the town - it is more important than ever that the area remains pedestrian friendly.
Based on national statistics, thousands of pedestrians are killed or injured each year.
Nationally, according to the US. Dept. of Transportation, an estimated 5,000 pedestrians are killed and 85,000 pedestrians are injured each year. During the last decade, more than 63,000 pedestrians died and more than a million others were injured in pedestrian-vehicle crashes. Of the people killed, 60 percent were working adults, 23 percent were seniors aged 65 or older, and 17 percent were children under 21.
Experts say “many of these crashes are due to unsafe behaviors by both pedestrians and drivers.”
It may not be as much of a problem here as in bigger cities. Let’s keep it that way.
Pedestrians - as well as motorists and others - should be able to safely move along and across their neighborhood streets.
Integrating plenty of well-designed sidewalks and crosswalks and other safety features into any future plans for Stanardsville is a must.