#RoadwaySafety

The United States is planning to relaunch a program to normalize vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology that would allow all modern vehicles to communicate with each other and the surrounding infrastructure in real time. Government agencies are claiming the resulting network would drastically improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about V2X. The U.S. attempted a similar program years earlier before it lost momentum.

Pedestrian fatalities in the United States climbed sharply over the past decade. Between 2008 and 2017, which constitutes the most recent data available, on-foot fatalities increased 35.4 percent — despite walking not growing in popularity. All told, the United States lost 49,340 people within the timeframe; about 13 people per day.

While still lower than vehicular deaths, the influx of pedestrian fatalities is cause for alarm for many. Forty countries, backed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, recently agreed to a resolution requiring passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to come equipped with automated braking systems starting as early as 2020. The primary goal? Improving pedestrian safety.

Not everyone is in agreement as to the solution’s effectiveness, however. Earlier this month, the National Complete Streets Coalition released Dangerous by Design 2019 to highlight the country’s plight — and suggested that the old ways might still be the best.