‘Unacceptable’: Analysis shows pedestrian deaths remain stubbornly high

Fewer pedestrians were killed during the first half of last year compared with the first six months of 2023, yet the total is still well above that from a decade earlier, the Governors Highway Safety Association says.

After analyzing data compiled from state highway safety offices, the association’s preliminary estimates show that 3,304 people died while walking on U.S. streets in the first six months of last year.

Although that’s 88 fewer (or 2.6% less) than in the same period during 2023, it’s far more than the 2,232 that occurred in the first six months of 2014. It also marks a 48% increase over 10 years.

The GHSA points to a combination of reasons for why pedestrian deaths have remained high:

• A steep drop in traffic enforcement nationwide since 2020 for speeding and other dangerous behaviors.
• Roads designed to “prioritize fast-moving vehicle traffic instead of slower speeds that are safer for people on foot.”
• Lack of pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting.
• Increases in larger, heavier vehicles that are more likely to injure or kill people on foot.

“Every day, 18 people don’t return home after taking a walk. That’s unacceptable,” GHSA CEO Jonathan Adkins said. “While recent incremental progress is welcome, it doesn’t disguise the fact that the numbers moved in the wrong direction over the past decade. The only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero.

“We must continue to push for an all-in safety approach that protects people on foot from the dangerous behaviors that are all too common on our roads. By encouraging drivers and pedestrians to implement safe practices, supporting the enforcement of traffic laws, and implementing infrastructure improvements, we can turn the tide on pedestrian fatalities.”