COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Car crashes that kill or seriously injure pedestrians and bicyclists are increasing, with Columbus reporting 115 incidents in 2024.
“If a street’s designed like a highway, folks and vehicles are going to treat it like a highway,” Trevin Flickinger, vice chair of Transit Columbus, said. “Street design is one of the most important aspects of how safe a street is.”
Columbus administrators said half of all fatal crashes in the city involve a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcyclist. Transit Columbus, an advocacy group working to prioritize people over cars in public planning, is one of several groups collaborating with city officials to protect pedestrians and cyclists.
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According to Ohio State Highway Patrol, Franklin County leads Ohio in fatal crashes, with 637 in the past five years. Most fatal crashes involve intoxication or improper seatbelt use, but 30% of Franklin County fatal crashes since 2020 involved a cyclist or pedestrian. See previous coverage of cyclist concerns in the video player above…