Exercise, iPods could be causing pedestrian deaths

By: Scott McCabe 01/20/11 12:15 AM
Examiner Staff Write

First lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to get people to exercise outdoors might be a factor in an increase in the number of pedestrian deaths during the first half of last year, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association
GHSA executive director Barbara Harsha said her organization doesn’t know why there were more deaths in the first six months of 2010 than in 2009, but the increase is notable because overall traffic fatalities went down 8 percent during this period, and the increase ends four straight years of steady declines in pedestrian deaths.

But the “get moving” movement, led by Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign to eliminate childhood obesity, could be to blame, Harsha told The Washington Examiner.

“There’s an emphasis these days to getting fit, and I think people doing that are more exposed to risk [of getting hit by a vehicle],” said Harsha, who conceded to having no scientific evidence that the Let’s Move campaign has led to an increase in walkers and runners, or deaths.

"This is all speculative," Harsha said. "Obviously, further study is needed."

The first lady's office did not respond immediately Wednesday to a request for comment.

The numbers
State 2009 total 1st half									2010/1st half	Change
DC									14		5		8	+3
MD									113	54		50	-4
VA 73									31	41 +10
Nation 4,092									1,884	1,891 +7
Source: Governors Highway Safety Association

Another culprit for the uptick in pedestrian deaths? The increasing use of technological devices, Harsha said.

"People are using more and more electronic devices -- iPods and cell phones," Harsha said. "They're distracted and not paying attention to traffic and traffic signals, they're stepping out in the street and getting hit."