Study: Drivers Less Likely To Brake For African-American Pedestrians

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A new study says drivers are less likely to brake for African-American pedestrians trying to cross the street.

The UNLV study found that drivers approaching mid-block crosswalks were less likely to stop for pedestrians of color and more likely to stop if they were white.

Researchers say the pedestrian bias was even worse in high-income neighborhoods than low-income neighborhoods.

The average number of vehicles to not stop for a black pedestrian who was already in the crosswalk was at least seven times higher compared to a white pedestrian in the wealthier neighborhoods.

Researchers say the findings replicate a similar study done by Portland State University.

The study used two female students, one white, one black of similar height and build. The students were wearing jeans and neutral-colored shirts.

The students took turns crossing the street alone in a high and low income neighborhood.

Researchers say the number of pedestrian deaths in Nevada has increased and the state declared an epidemic in 2016.

The study also cited a CDC report that shows pedestrian fatality rates between 2001 and 2010 for black and Latino men were more than twice the rate for white men.