Pedestrian safety discussed in Rehoboth

After an increase in pedestrian fatalities this year, a group working to improve conditions for people walking on the road will hold another meeting on the topic tonight in Rehoboth.

The Route One Pedestrian Safety Task Force focuses its attention on improving conditions for walkers on Rt. 1 from the Nassau Bridge south towards the southern end of Dewey Beach.  The area sees heavy vehicle traffic and is also frequently used by pedestrians in the resort areas near Delaware’s beaches.

A number of high profile fatal pedestrian accidents have drawn attention to the dangers of walking along the road in that area.  In July, an older couple were hit by a car following a fireworks display in Dewey Beach.  The 79-year-old husband was killed and his wife was critically injured.  The driver of the car that hit the couple was charged with driving under the influence. Later that month, a DART bus hit and killed a man who was walking his bike along Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach.

Delaware’s pedestrian deaths spiked in 2012, with 30 people killed while walking along the state’s roads.  In 2011, there were 19 pedestrians killed.  As part of the effort to make pedestrians more aware of the dangers of walking along the road, the State Office of Highway Safety launched an awareness campaign that plays on the popular TV show “The Walking Dead.”  Featuring images of zombies walking along the road, the campaign’s tagline is “Don’t Join the Walking Dead.”

The task force will meet Monday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.