Highest pedestrian deaths in the US in 41 years: what is going on

Traffic experts are sounding the alarm over the record pedestrian deaths. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed in road accidents in the United States in 2022.

At the same time, the number of deaths increased by 1% compared to 2021. Although the rate of growth has declined sharply with a 13% jump in pedestrian fatalities from 2020 to 2021, the annual number of pedestrian deaths increased by 77% from 2010 to 2021, smartcitiesdive reports.

The main causes of deaths are:

• speed and size of vehicles;
• alcohol consumption;
• time of day;
• lack of pedestrian infrastructure.

Which states have the most deaths

California has the highest number of deaths.

It recorded 1,100 deaths over the past year, while Florida and Texas had more than 800 deaths. In all three, the per capita mortality rate was higher than the national average.

It is noted that an increase in the number of deaths is recorded in Arizona, Oregon and Virginia. This refers to the period from 2021 to 2022.

Which cities have the highest number of people killed in road accidents

Most pedestrian fatalities occur in cities. According to the data, most accidents occurred in the following cities, which are among the top 10 most populous cities, like the United States: Houston, Phoenix, and San Diego.

What time of day do pedestrians die?

The most dangerous time for pedestrians, according to GHSA statistics, is night. 77% of fatal accidents in 2021 occurred at night. According to the GHSA, from 2010 to 2021, the number of pedestrian fatalities at night increased by 86%.

Other causes of pedestrian deaths

Experts have determined that the main causes are alcohol intoxication of both drivers and pedestrians, as well as the lack of sidewalks.

Which Americans die most often

The report also shows injustice among pedestrian victims. According to the expert, there is a disproportionate impact of people of color being overrepresented in pedestrian deaths.

Between 2018 and 2020, the proportion of pedestrian fatalities among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics increased, while the proportion of non-Hispanic whites decreased.

Top cities for safe speed

New York City ranks first in terms of safe road speeds, with 84% of roads having an average speed below 25 mph, followed by Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago.

Cities with average speeds below 25 mph were Memphis, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Florida, Fort Worth, Texas and Phoenix.

At the same time, according to StreetLight Data's analysis, pedestrians are twice as likely to be killed when a car is traveling at 30 miles per hour.

Car weight and pedestrian deaths

The GHSA report notes that vehicle size and weight also affect the likelihood that a pedestrian will survive a crash. According to the GHSA report, SUVs and pickup trucks were responsible for nearly 40% of pedestrian fatalities in 2021.