The Maine Department of Transportation and Bicycle Coalition of Maine are teaming up to host the Pedestrian Safety Forum on Thursday at Bath City Hall Auditorium. The meeting is part of a statewide effort to make Maine’s roads safer, as pedestrian fatalities have risen in recent years.

There were 19 deaths in Maine in 2015 and 15 in 2016, up from an average of 12 in previous years.

“We have looked closely at the data about why these fatalities happened, and will be presenting our findings tomorrow night,” said Darcy Whittmore of BCM.

Whittmore said that some of the reasons for the spike in fatalities — which has occurred nationally, as well — is due to increased distraction while driving. Poor pedestrian habits such as wearing dark clothing and jaywalking also contributed, Whittmore said.

“There are definitely things pedestrians can do to make themselves safer, and we’ll be presenting those findings too,” said Whittmore.

Whittmore said that a large portion of the meeting will be devoted to looking at a map of Bath and pointing out pedestrian problem areas. Community members will be encouraged to speak out during this process.

“It’s personal, because it’s their community,” said Whittmore.

“This is an opportunity for anyone from the Bath community to come and talk about walking on our streets,” said Bath Planning Board Director Andrew Deci. “The reality is everyone has a role on the streets. Motorists need to be paying attention, but bikers and pedestrians need to be vigilant too.”

Whittmore said that reflective items will be given out during the meeting, including bracelets and reflective strips that can be worn on backpacks and coats.

“Our project has a saying,” Whittmore said. “It’s ‘Heads up, safety is a two-way street.’”

Whittmore said that similar meetings will take place in Brunswick and Topsham this summer.

Thursday’s meeting in Bath begins at 6 p.m.

bgoodridge@timesrecord.com