[QUOTE=seeker333;20330933]I suspect the increase in pedestrian deaths is related strongly to increased distraction from smartphones (pedestrians and drivers) and motor vehicle infotainment systems (hvac/audio/gps nav integrated with large screens.
I suspect distractions of all type are responsible in drawing attention away from the road and suroundings. Not just smart phones but overly flashy instrumentation. Some vehicle instrumentation looks like the control room of the Star Ship Enterprise.