Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Safety

Editorial Cartoon: Federal ‘Pedestrian Safety Month’ is a Joke

Cartoon cop scolds dead pedestrian

This week, our cartoonist Bill Roundy goes national!

Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.
Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.
false

After Streetsblog USA published not one, but two, stories about the sham of the federal government's first-ever "Pedestrian Safety Month," our rapier-thrusting editorial draftsman cranked out a comic that captures his — and our — visceral reaction to the nation's ongoing lack of concern about the deaths of thousands of pedestrians every year.

Pedestrian safety month is just a Trump Administration press release. What's really needed, as Streetsblog's Kea Wilson pointed out in her stories, is five pragmatic improvements:

    • Require the installation of pedestrian detection systems, automatic emergency braking, and other automated driver assistance technology on all new cars;
    • Require the installation of systems that onboard alcohol sensors or other technologies that detect erratic driving behavior from drunk motorists on all new cars;
    • Require automakers to redesign hoods and bumpers to make cars more forgiving in crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, using better crumple zone technology;
    • Enhance headlight visibility standards for new cars to help prevent the 76 percent of pedestrians crashes that happen at night;
    • And last but not least, finally join the rest of the planet in requiring automakers to test how safe their vehicles are for vulnerable road users in the event of a crash, rather than just the people inside vehicles.

Notice that none of the above even asks for the obvious: sustained prosecutorial action to get repeat reckless drivers off the road (a driver's license is a privilege, not a right) and redesigning our cities so that roadways actively discourage speeding. You don't need cops for either of those things.

All of Bill Roundy's editorial cartoons are archived here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Eyes on the Street: Pretty Unsafe for a Bikeway, Yeah?

We suspect the signs won’t stay up - they are too clearly NOT official - even though they provide an important warning for bike riders. 

July 30, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines

Some rollbacks in Oakland and Carlsbad. New traffic calming in SF. And much more...

July 30, 2025

Shifting Gears to Urban Bike Delivery

Bikes can revolutionize delivery in urban areas. A new report outlines how policymakers can spur them in their communities.

July 29, 2025

Bike East Bay Lists Incremental Victories

From Antioch to Oakland, advocates are making slow but steady headway that's sometimes eclipsed by the showier projects.

July 29, 2025

Rosemead Now Offers Zero Emission Microtransit

The service operates within city limits, but offers further rides for older and disabled riders.

July 29, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines

New protected bike lanes in Long Beach and Oakland....less protected bike lanes in Vista.

July 29, 2025
See all posts