Transportation for America has created a very detailed and enlightening interactive map showing pedestrian traffic fatalities from 2000-2009 all over the country.

And while in the Atlanta area, the I-85/I-75 connector, portions of Ponce intown and Buford Highway (remember my “Death by Buford Highway” post?) seem to be real pedestrian fatality hot spots, Decatur – city of walkers – is a virtual island in a sea of fatal collisions.  From my casual observation, the city of Decatur hasn’t had a single pedestrian fatality in the past 10 years, unless the 78 year-old male on Church Street (highlighted in the screenshot above) was inside the city limits.

This map makes a pretty compelling case that traffic fatalities are primarily caused by unsympathetic pedestrian infrastructure, and not necessarily determined by population or # of active pedestrians in an area.

Interesting stuff.