Pedestrian deaths decrease — but not everywhere
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There were fewer pedestrian deaths on U.S. roads in the first half of 2024 compared to a year prior, but nearly 50% more than a decade ago, a new projection finds.
Why it matters: Cities worldwide are trying to reduce pedestrian deaths — so many of which are utterly avoidable — though "Vision Zero" programs, lower speed limits, "traffic calming" road design and more.
Driving the news: 3,304 pedestrians were killed on roads nationwide between January and June 2024, per a new Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) preliminary report.
- That's 88 fewer deaths than during the same period in 2023, but 1,072 more than during the same period in 2014.
Stunning stat: "Between the first half of 2014 and 2024, pedestrian deaths have risen at a rate almost seven times faster than population growth," the report finds.
Zoom in: Nebraska (+150%, 6 more deaths), Alaska (+66.7%, 2 more deaths) and Connecticut (+56.5%, 13 more deaths) had the biggest percentage increases in pedestrian deaths in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Yes, but: States with more people tend to have more overall pedestrian deaths.
- When adjusting for population, New Mexico (2.07), Mississippi (1.94) and Nevada (1.9) had the highest rates of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents in the first half of 2024.
- The per-100,000 rate increased the most in Washington, D.C. (+0.54) in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, while it decreased the most in Wyoming (-0.52).
What they're saying: It's "encouraging to see states with historically higher fatality counts report large percentage decreases in 2024," the report notes, highlighting Tennessee (-30%), Colorado (-21%), and Washington (-19.7%).
What's next: "There are proven strategies to improve pedestrian safety," per GHSA, including "building a system that minimizes pedestrians' exposure to vehicles ... encourages safe road use through education and enforcement, and prioritizes visibility between drivers and pedestrians."
