Count Paul Snyder among those who believe distraction, more than vehicles themselves, is responsible for the increase in pedestrian fatalities. “I think the answer to it is really social patterns, you know, having very little to do with cars,” said Snyder, chair of the transportation design program at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. In the search for explanations for a dramatic rise in pedestrian deaths, Snyder is among those who believe that drivers or walkers not paying attention while in traffic, whether it is to glance at smartphones or elsewhere, are to blame. Pedestrian fatalities have risen 46 percent since 2009 while overall traffic deaths are only up 11 percent.