Oklahoma City ranked 19th in pedestrian deaths

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma City is among the top 20 metropolitan areas in the nation for pedestrian traffic deaths, a national report released Wednesday showed. <br><br>``Mean Streets 2002''

Thursday, November 21st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma City is among the top 20 metropolitan areas in the nation for pedestrian traffic deaths, a national report released Wednesday showed.

``Mean Streets 2002'' ranked Oklahoma City 19th. According to the report, 4,955 people died in 2001 while walking down U.S. streets, up from the 4,843 pedestrians who died in such accidents in 2000.

``While only about 5 percent of all trips are made on foot, about 12 percent of all traffic deaths are pedestrians, making walking one of the most dangerous modes of travel,'' the report released by the Washington-based Surface Transportation Policy Project stated.

Surface Transportation Policy Project is a nonprofit coalition of more than 800 organizations including scenic groups, landscape architects and environmental groups, said Andrea Broaddus, state and local campaign manager.

The organization works to ensure national transportation policy and investments strengthen the economy, promote social equity and make communities better, Broaddus said.

According to the report, the most dangerous metro area for pedestrians was Orlando, Fla. It's average annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 was 3.3, the report stated.

Oklahoma City's average annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population was 1.6, the report stated. Oklahoma City's metropolitan statistical area had 14 pedestrian fatalities in 2000 and 21 in 2001.

Tulsa had 13 pedestrian fatalities in 2000 and 11 in 2001. In Lawton, there was one pedestrian fatality in 2000 and one in 2001, according to the report.

There is little federal transportation funding going to pedestrian safety in most of these metro areas, the report stated.