Walking is a great form of exercise for most Maryland residents. Unfortunately, it can also be dangerous. Although most people take great care to look both ways before crossing the street and stick to well-lit areas, they are simply no match for large motor vehicles. Because of this, virtually anyone can be at risk for a pedestrian accident.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, pedestrians are the most susceptible group on the road. This includes children in strollers and individuals who use wheelchairs. On average, approximately one pedestrian is killed every 66 minutes, and around 104,000 seek treatment in emergency departments for every year.

As we’ve discussed on our blog before, more people than ever are now choosing to forgo their vehicles in favor of going by mass transit, bicycle or even on foot. The motivations for this drastic lifestyle change vary, of course, with some motivated by environmental concerns, others by finances and still others by healthy living.

As we’ve also discussed, however, this decision, while laudable, is not without risk given the dangerous driving practices of motorists from speeding to distracted driving.

Consider the recently released report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, which found that preliminary data from state highway safety offices indicated that 2016 was the most deadly year for pedestrians in a decade.

Indeed, the GHSA report found that 5,997 pedestrians lost their lives last year, an 11 percent increase from 2015 and yet another notch on an upward trend that has seen pedestrian deaths rise by 12 percent since 1996.