Focusing on individual behavior won’t make our streets safer
Troubling trends in two very different places highlight the urgent need to focus on systemic change to prevent additional deaths.
Dangerous by Design 2024
New video: Walking in one of the deadliest states in America
In this year’s Dangerous by Design report, Florida was ranked as the second most deadly state for people walking. From 2018-2022, Florida saw an average of 3,705 deaths on their roadways, with a fatality rate of 3.43 (well above the national average of 2.26). Additionally, we found that eight of the twenty most deadliest metro … Continued
Three ways we can catch up with global peers on traffic safety
The US prides itself on being a global leader. Yet there’s one way we’d rather not be leading—in the number of people dying on our roads. Across all income levels, among the countries with the largest populations, we’re the only one where deaths reached these historic highs.
What national data doesn’t tell us about pedestrian deaths
7,522 people were hit and killed while walking in 2022—an alarming increase that represents a 40-year high in preventable pedestrian deaths. Yet, at the local level, these deaths are often seen as individual instances, disguising the depth of the issue. Gaps in slow-to-update national datasets are part of the problem.
Everyone benefits from safety over speed. Yes, even drivers.
When we design our roads for the speed of vehicles, we sacrifice safety and comfort for everyone, including people who primarily travel behind a wheel.
How pedestrian crash data needs to change
We’ve always said that “you measure what you treasure” and the limited, incomplete data about the deaths of people walking suggest that it’s simply not a crisis that our nation cares about. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story. Here are some specific recommendations to bring things out of the dark ages and into the modern age, while making it clear that reducing these deaths is a top priority for transportation agencies at all levels.
Congressional briefing illustrates the rising danger of roadway design for pedestrians
On July 9th, 2024, Smart Growth America and partners engaged the Future of Transportation Caucus and the Office of Senator John Fetterman on the importance of creating a transportation system that is safe for all users.
DOT Coordination Case Study: Kalamazoo and Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan, is dealing with a problem seen in a number of cities across the US: a state highway running through the downtown as a “couplet,” two parallel one-way streets. These two wide and fast state-owned routes cut through a downtown neighborhood full of parks, restaurants, and museums near Western Michigan University. Six lanes with … Continued
DOT Coordination Case Study: Seattle and Washington
The most dangerous road in Seattle, Washington, is State Route 99, Aurora Avenue N. 19 people were killed while walking on Aurora Ave N between 2008 and 2022, on just 7.6 miles of road. 14 of these deaths occurred between 2018 and 2022, which is 15% of all pedestrian fatalities in Seattle during that time. … Continued
Champion Spotlight: Fort Smith, AR
This case study was written as part of our Dangerous by Design Technical Assistance program. This initiative brought together champions from across the country to advance street safety efforts through data collection and storytelling. This study was written by Reese Brewer, Director of the Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). 26 people died while walking in the Fort … Continued