This morning WNYC covered a recent study by a Rutgers graduate student that looked at pedestrian crashes in New Jersey and found a statistical correlation between high-poverty neighborhoods and the likelihood of being hit by a car.
The study found that the higher the income level, the lower the likelihood for crashes to occur in an area. Researchers speculate that one reason for this might be that car ownership is out of reach for many low-income people, so they walk more, which increases their exposure to cars. A second reason is poorer neighborhoods often lack even the most basic pedestrian infrastructure.
This problem further highlights the need for Complete Streets policies. The New Jersey Department of Transportation is trying to convince cities and counties to adopt these policies, where roads are designed for all users — bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders — not just cars. Want to learn more about Complete Streets initiatives at both the state and local level? Come to GMTMA’s *free* Lunch & Learn event this Friday at the Princeton Public Library! Email rhersh@gmtma.org for more information.