Dr. Christiaan Abildso, program coordinator, PEIA Weight Management Program, and Dr. Kelly Gurka, WVU Injury Control Research Center, have researched the connection between accidents involving pedestrians and cost to the state.
While studying all accidents in West Virginia from 2000 to 2006, the costs of the accidents were severe: 206 people died and nearly 3,100 were inured. That amounted to “comprehensive costs” – including estimates for lost quality of life – at $1.19 billion dollars in 2005, Abildso said.
In his research summary, Abildso says some of the measures – including raised medians, islands and paved shoulders and sidewalks – could reduce accidents.