Could New York soon become safer than San Jose?

Interesting article posted by the Associated Press yesterday afternoon on the significant decrease in the homicide rate in New York during the Bloomberg administration. Last year the city experienced 418 homicides, the lowest number since reliable statistics have been kept since 1963. In 1990, New York City had an all-time high of 2,245 killings.

A couple of other interesting statistics from the article are that each year on average 33 people each down die due to homicides (over 12,000 annually) and 40 Americans commit suicides with a gun each day (over 14,500 annually).

Using quotes from the article for New York and Chicago and data from a homicide map that was produced by the Bay Area News Group I came up with some statistics of homicides per 100,000 residents

All homicides are for 2012. Population figures are from Wikipedia.

San Jose
46/958956=.000048               4.8 per 100,000 residents

New York

418/8224910=.000051           5.1 per 100,000 residents

Chicago
487/2707120=.00018            18.0 per 100,000 residents


View 2012 San Jose homicide map in a larger map

Blast from the Past - Thinking of the Current Transportation System as a Health and Safety Issue

This was originally posted on my sister blog - One Less Car in the Silcon Valley. I am reposting here due to the recent increase in pedestrian and cyclists casualties. I hope to have more updates and comments later. Notice the links to fatal Silicon Valley accidents at the bottom of the post. I used to geo-track these statistics to get a sense the most dangerous Silicon Valley roadways.

All I know is that first you've got to get mad.

You've got to say, 
"I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!" 


Three vehicular events in the Silicon Valley area this weekend highlight the fact that we are all subject to property damage, trauma, critical injury and even death from vehicles.  With this weekends death of a solo driver in Los Altos, a hit and run pedestrian accident in downtown San Jose, and a hit and run accident involving two cyclists, we need to stop and seriously consider the pain and suffering these events cause.

I am acquainted with Ashley (Ashleigh), through work and we share several mutual friends.  Ashley was riding with her boyfriend  this weekend when she was struck by a car that drove into the bike lane.  As I have written before, death and injury has visited family members, a favored author (David Hallberstam's tragic death near the Dumbarton Bridge), three high school friends, a college friend, and bike riding buddies.  Many years ago, while riding my bike, I witnessed a accident victim's final seconds as the blood from his head flowed onto the asphalt, on that early spring morning.  I was stunned and helpless.  Unable to move the truck that had just slammed his head to the ground and was now pinning his body to the roadway, all  I remember was the color of  his face, and how it seemed to change color the more his blood drained from his motionless head.

Several years after witnessing speeding and erratic behavior by a driver on a southbound San Diego Freeway, I came upon the prostrate body of the driver in the middle lane; motionless as we drove by, suddenly making the connection that the driver had met his end in his own horrific way.

With almost two years of a car free lifestyle under my belt, people often ask me; "isn't bike riding dangerous?  I'm to afraid to ride my bike.  I think I'll just go to a spin class instead."  First, bikes can be dangerous, but not many people fail to consider the large number of car accidents every year; whether classified as solo vehicular accidents, alcohol related accidents, accidents due to youth and inexperience, or just sheer and utter stupidity.  We seem to just accept, "as if that's the way it's supposed to be.   

"We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone." 

Ask anyone who rides or walks and they will tell you horror stories of the streets.  Freeing yourself from the cocoon of your car you notice more.  In the two years since my own accident, I have witnessed four accidents involving a car running a red light ( myself  a victem as well).  Of those four, I was the first responder on three of them.  One involved a person trying to flee the scene.  Six victims required medical attention.

 In the two years since giving up my car in favor of a lifestyle involving cycling, walking and public transportation as a means of mobility, I have kept tract of most of the accidents involving cars, whether solo, with other cars, with bicycles, or pedestrians.  Also motorcycle accidents; which seem almost to be predictable in rider age and accident location are document.

We strikes me and also troubles me the most however is the continued increase in hit and run accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists.  I have read somewhere that it may approach 50%.  That would be one out of two accidents involve a vehicle leaving the scene; an absolute disgrace on any measure of moral, ethic, or civic responsibility.

Anyway here are three Google Maps so far that I have put together.
(Blue - Vehicle, Red - Pedestrian, Yellow - Motorcycle, Green - Cyclists) Dot in the marker represents a fatality.

2007

2008

2009

Toyota's Mea Culpa - fund industry safety research

Toyota announced on Wednesday that they will be partnering with leading universities in automotive safety studies. Toyota is stepping up research partnerships with several U.S. universities to study increasingly important safety issues facing the auto industry. This was prompted by public and congressional backlash after series of deadly accidents caused by stuck accelerators (later proven to be caused by poorly designed floormats). Toyota's Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) announced that they will spend $50 million over the next five years to "better protect the most vulnerable traffic populations, including children, teens, seniors and pedestrians."

This announcement comes after congressional, media, and public scrutiny on the heels of the widespread safety and quality issues during 2010. Toyota has vowed not only to take on the cost of the research but also to share it with others in the auto industry. It is interesting to note the new found willingness on the part of Toyota to not only bring their research out in the open but their willingness share it with the industry after spending $50 million for the academic partnerships. Given Toyota's previous reluctance to share safety data this is a big departure from the past.

In the Wall Street Journal version of this story reporter Neil Boudette picks op this gem of a quote;

"Twelve teens die each day in accidents," said Tina Brunetti Sayer, an engineer at Toyota's Collaborative Safety Research Center, the group set up to work with outside institutes in North America. "That's 5,000 a year. This is a group that really needs help in learning to drive."

Did you catch that, "this is a group that really needs help in learning to drive." The engineer assumes that all teenagers drive and secondly that these deaths could be stopped or mitigated by giving driving education "help" to these teens.






Here is an abbreviated list of the universities that Toyota will be collaborating with allong with the reasearch outline.

The Transportation Active Safety Institute at Indiana University/Purdue University Indianapolis

· Pedestrian Pre-Collision Systems (PCS) Test Scenarios

A five-year study to develop testing protocols for automotive PCS designed to prevent pedestrian-related car accidents. The study will draw on available crash data in NHTSA databases and original vehicle testing to develop more sophisticated and realistic test scenarios for PCS with the goal of improving pedestrian safety.

Note: In the Wall Street journal article the author additionally states that; "Indiana University and Purdue University also are developing radar and camera technology to prevent collisions with pedestrians"

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

· Posture, Body Shape, and Seatbelt Fit in Senior Drivers
An 18-month project to study the relationship between age and seated occupant posture, body shape, and seatbelt fit. The project seeks to determine if senior drivers and passengers sit differently in the vehicle, to characterize exterior body shape changes that occur with age, and to understand how these factors influence seat belt fit. The statistical models resulting from the study can be used to better understand senior occupant kinetics and injury patterns in a crash event.

Wake Forest School of Medicine

· Advanced Automated Crash Notification

A one-year partnership to develop vehicle computer systems that not only notify first responders in the event of a collision, but also predict the likelihood and severity of occupant and driver injuries.

Note: This sounds like an medical engineering nightmare. Sensors in your car will determine the extent of your injuries and relay this information to the first responders. This however will not be avaiblable to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

Wayne State University School of Medicine

· Driver Distraction: Cognitive Model & Validation

A three-year collaborative study to better understand the cognitive aspect of driver distraction. Combining research in the fields of driver behavior, cognitive psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, the project will advance the auto industry’s understanding of a phenomenon that has been widely blamed for many accidents and injuries on U.S. roads and highways.

Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center Announces 10 New Projects and Six New Partnerships With Leading Academic and Research Institutions

Totyota Teams Up For Safety Studies - Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2011

Fatality Statistics - NHTSA FARS National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration - Fatality Analysis and Reporting System

Location:Civic Center Dr,Santa Clara,United States

How much does it cost?

With all of the talk lately of drastically reducing costs at the City of San Jose I just got to wondering how much does an average police cruiser costs the city in total equipment costs. Some of the equipment I have notice in today's cars include:

• The original cost of the car.
• Add-ons such as suspension and engine enhancements.
• Paint and lights (light bar and spot)
• New back seat, cage and handles and locks.
• Radios and computers
• Shotgun and secure holder
• GPS and camera pod (lately I have seen large camera pods on top of the light bars on some units).
• Trunk Contents- Accident Response Kit, Defibrillator, First Aid Kid

 If anyone knows the answer to this or knows if I left out any squad car add-ons let me know. I figure an accuracy of about $5,000 up or down show be reasonable enough. Any guesses?

Is This The End Of The (Suburban) World As We Know It?

Notice to Residents of Victorville - "Your Home May be Worth Less Than Your SUV"

As a follow up to my last post this morning (Is This The End ExUrbia as We Know It?). I went back to check on some of the other "possible unfinished developments" that Guaranty Bank, (currently at 64 cents a share - GFG) or any other bank may own. I had to stop because my eyes and hands were tired from clicking. If you think this real estate thing is over, you may want to think again.

Someone borrowed money from Guaranty, or B of A, or Chase/WAMU to pull the building permits and get the heavy machinery to start construction. Somebody lent on the hundreds of empty pads that dot the high desert. I'll tell you one thing; the bank presidents - they aint living in Victorville.

See Zillow Graph (You may have to scroll down)

Los Angles Times - "Housing Crunch Becomes Literal in Victorville"

Each Pin Represents a New Development in Victorville; a city of 100,000


View Victorville Real Estate in a larger map

Population and Vehicle Density Correlation

This was a little fun I had playing with a graphical representation of the amount of land converted to parking; assuming a density of 6,000 residents per square mile (Sunnyvale, CA). I came up with just under 25% of the land would be needed to park cars, on average. This does not assume land needed to move those cars. I haven't gotten there yet.

The land here in the Silicon Valley only 50 years ago used to be full of orchards now parking lots have taken there place.

Parking Requirement Calculations (Google Docs)

The larger square represents one mile square. Notice how the old orchard roads were one mile distant. Now these "one mile roads" make for perfect suburban arterial roads. The smaller red square represents one quarter of a square mile.




View Asphalt Jungle in a larger map

Car Wash for Car Crash Victims

This isn't the first time I have seen car washes held to raise funds for car crash victim's. The article states that the young victims loved cars, only to die in a car.
Friends, family pitch in to aid young San Jose crash victims-San Jose Mercury News

with permission from A. Singer

2008 State of the Valley - Traffic Safety

A while ago I asked a friend why they drive to the gym to "spin" instead of cycling and experiencing all of the joy and fun that comes along with it. They responded that cycling is dangerous. So that got me thinking if cycling is dangerous, just how dangerous is it compared to other modes of transportation. At the time one of my favorite authors, David Halberstam was killed in a local traffic accident near the Dumbarton Bridge in Menlo Park, CA. I also had 3 high school classmates (those that I have heard about) killed in separate traffic accidents. Strangely enough one was killed in New Zealand and the other in South Africa. Additionally two family members have been severely disabled due to car accidents.


When I was 17, I started studying for my private pilot's license and I always heard the reply, "Why do you fly? Its so dangerous". I began to notice that an aircraft accident; even if it only resulted in one or two fatalities, the event would make regional or national news headlines. Conversely, automobile accidents where usually buried on the 4th page of the local section, sometimes only involving one or two paragraphs.

So after the tragic accident involving Mr. Halberstam, I wondered - what if I monitored the news using new internet tools to highlight and document the tragic nature of auto accidents. After keeping track of such grim statistics, it made me conscious of just much, we as a society tend to ignore the violent costs of automobile traffic.

However it is not just vehicular fatalities that are sobering but the sheer number of pedestrian fatalities highly skewed to the most vulnerable part of the population; those due to age or financial circumstances that must walk in a culture designed for high speed auto traffic. In looking at the many cases of pedestrian casualties, three key characteristics stand out. Pedestrian casualties generally victimize the elderly, occur in the poorer areas of the valley (where massive arterial roads are not uncommon), and generally fall upon victims who were born outside the United States and its culture of cars.

To memorialize those that we last last year.

Silicon Valley Youth who died tragically in 2008.
6-13-2008, Breanna Slaughter-Eck, 12 (pictured)
1-9-2008 12:20am Jessica Stevens, 16
2-28-9 Alexander Moran Cabrera, 2
4-22-2008, 9:38 PM, Trieu Dinh, 19
8-2-2008, 4:50 AM Chrishtiana Acevedo, 18
10-10-2008 6:00 PM Moses Florez, 5 (killed on Razr Scooter)
10-12-2008, 9:15 am, Fernando Valencia, 18
10-12-2008, 9:15 am, unidentified passenger of Fernando Valencia, 12
12-18-2008, 12:05 PM, Matthew Mikaelsson. 17


See Map Below
Cyclists (Green)
1-10-2008 6:25PM, Hsien Tsun Wan, 77
2-28-08 Andrew Hale, 54
3-9-2008 Matt Peterson, 30 of San Francisco
3-9-2008 Kristy Gough, 31 of Oakland
6-13-2008, Breanna Slaughter-Eck, 12
10-5-2008, 9:45AM Bruce Finch, 58


Pedestrians (Red)
1-10-2008 as Estella Manalo Bacong, 50
1-4-2008 Randy Walke, 50
1-22-2008 1:55 AM, Leonardo Par Tzoc, 29
1-23-2008 2:40am Unidentified Hispanic Male 35-40
2-8-2008 Guoliang Chen, 76
2-15-2008 Douglas Carr, 61
2-21-2008 6:20 PM unidentified female
3-26-2008 Panfilio Prado, 51
2-21-2008 6:20 PM unidentified female
4-1-2008 6:30PM, Souang Athetsanathip,66
4-25-2008 11:30 Jose Del Carmen Cauigh-Medina, 51
8-2-2008 5:20 PM, Kenneth Stewart pedestrian, 69
8-10-2008, 8:45 PM, Oralia Puga-Ramirez, 73 of San Jose
8-10-2008, Enedina Oliva, 70
8-30-2008 8:40 AM, Maria Dolores Acosta Dereyes, 69
9-9-2008, 2:15 PM, unidentified male pedestrian, Capitol Exp. San Jose
9-13-2008, 9:30, unidentified pedestrian, 91, McLaughlin Ave. & Spokane Dr., San Jose
9-14-2008, 8:45 AM, Rodolfo Escurial, 68
9-14-2008, 8:45 AM, Aproniano Siruno, 71
10-10-2008 6:00 PM Moses Florez, 5 (killed on Razr Scooter)
10-11-2008, 1:20 PM, Margaret Garza, 45
10-26-2008, 7:00AM,Gary Ray Hedges, 66
12-2-2008 3:15 PM, Phyllis Seidman, 66
11-27-2008 7:40 PM , Jose Perez Rivera, 39
12-12-2008, 8:15 PM, Manuel Velasquez, 73


A noticeable but disturbing trend is evident in Pedestrian fatalities in the valley, with regard to age, ethnicity, and location.


Pedestrian Fatalities Age Breakdown (only those whose age is known)
Amt. %
Under 18 years of age 1 - 5%
18 - 30 years of age 1 - 5%
31- 40 years of age 2 - 9%
41- 50 years of age 1 - 5%
51- 65 years of age 5 - 22%
65+ years of age 12 - 54%

Note: These are not audited or verified traffic statistics but just a compilation of traffic casualties that have been reported in local newspapers.



View Larger Map

A Sad, Sad Start to the New Year

Traffic Fatalities continue to plague San Jose City and Santa Clara County. With the sad death of Hsien Tsun Wan, 77, only ten days have passed into the new year with a road fatality victim each represented by a pedestrian, cyclist, auto passenger and driver. There has also been a fatality during the first 10 days which died after being struck by a VTA light rail train.

Now with six road fatalities by the first half of the first month; at this rate the county could possibly reach 150 fatalities by the end of the year far eclipsing 97 road fatalities in 2007. Somehow when we state that We are America's safest big city, we never seem to mention traffic deaths or injuries.

San Jose - America's Safest Big City?

San Jose sells itself and its image as the County's safest large city; or at least it did. But in annual statistics published this morning proves otherwise. 37% of all traffic fatalities in San Jose were pedestrians.

Santa Clara County Roadway Deaths
Year	SC County	San Jose Total	San Jose Pedestrians*
2007	97	42	15
2006	91	24	9

* On San Jose city streets and expressways
Statistics: San Jose Mercury News
Photo:www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden

2008 RIP

January
1. January 2 - Jennifer Ann Drummond, 35, of Campbell , E. Dunne & Highway 101, Morgan Hill.
2. January 4, Randy Walke, 50
3. January 9 Estella Bacong, 50 Pedestrian, Capitol Expressway and Quimby Rd.
4. January 10 - Jessica Stephens, 16, Auto Passanger, Hamilton Ave. and San Thomas.
5. January 10 - Hsien Tsun Wan, 77, Bicyclist Saratoga Sunnyvale Road near Prospect Ave., San Jose
6. January 11 - Harold Curler, 42, Auto Driver, Shannon Rd. near Kennedy, San Jose



View Larger Map