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Cities alarmed by deaths and injuries of pedestrians are taking efforts to make crosswalks safer for people
on foot, especially seniors and children who need more time to cross streets.
A pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident in the USA every 110 minutes; one is injured every nine minutes,
according to official data. Crosswalks can be especially dangerous for the elderly. Among people 70 and older,
36% of pedestrian deaths in 2006 occurred in crosswalks, compared with 21% of those younger than 70,
according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) advise that next year states increase by nearly 15% the
amount of time traffic lights provide for pedestrians to cross the street after the flashing orange hand appears.
FHWA spokesman Doug Hecox says reasons for the change include an aging population that needs more time
to cross, health-conscious Americans walking more, children encouraged to walk to prevent getting overweight
and high gas prices pushing people to walk instead of drive.
Pedestrian deaths went down by 12% from 5,449 in 1996 to 4,784 in 2006, Bur among those in 2006, 471
were killed in crosswalks, down slightly from 488 ten years earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) says.
1. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. Among 100 pedestrian deaths there were 21 people younger than 70.
B. Old people are more likely to meet with accidents happened per hour.
C. Traffic accidents killed more old people than young people.
D. About seven traffic accidents happened per hour.
2. What is FHWA's suggestion to states?
A. Fixing more traffic lights
B. Providing more crosswalks
C. Giving pedestrians more time to cross streets
D. Drivers don't give way
3. What’s the cause of the crosswalk safety problem according to the text?
A. There’re many cars and buses on the road.
B. Pedestrians are careless.
C. Crosswalks are more crowded than before.
D. Drivers don’t give way.
4. The report from NHTSA suggests that _____.
A. fewer people were injured in crosswalks
B. crosswalk safety has been greatly improved
C. much has been done to reduce traffic accidents
D. pedestrian deaths in crosswalks remain a serious problem
