While the number of people hit and killed while walking is declining across the world, the US is the only developed nation with an increasing number of pedestrian deaths year after year. In 2022, 7,522 people were hit and killed while walking. Now, we’re trying to play catch up by adopting a decades-old UN rule that falls short of necessary common-sense pedestrian safety measures.
Troubling trends in two very different places highlight the urgent need to focus on systemic change to prevent additional deaths.
October is National Pedestrian Safety Month, a time to recognize the numerous dangers, indignities, and inconveniences that pedestrians face every day in this country. It is also a time to imagine and plan how to do things differently. One city that is taking steps toward becoming a better place for pedestrians is Durham, North Carolina.
Started in 2021 by author and Director of the Disability Mobility Initiative Anna Zivarts as a Washington state based campaign, the Week Without Driving challenge illuminates the ways our current system is failing, and encourages us to envision a system that works better for everyone. With the support of America Walks, Week Without Driving has now expanded into a national effort and is happening September 30th through October 6th this year.
A recent response to the traffic safety crisis in New Mexico was yet another example of the status quo approach of criminalizing individual behavior—particularly the behavior of the most vulnerable—in an effort to make the full system safer. It’s time for a better approach.
A historic increase in pedestrian deaths from 2020 to 2021 shocked many, but this epidemic continues to get worse. In 2022, the most recent year with complete federal data, the number of people who were struck and killed while walking grew to 7,522, marking a 40-year high. This represents an astonishing 75 percent increase in … Continued
Speed plays a drastically different role in pedestrian deaths than it does for drivers and their passengers. The most dangerous crashes for vehicle occupants are typically at much higher speeds and often involve speed limit violations. Pedestrians, however, face constant threats even on roads that are designed and posted at lower speeds, and when drivers … Continued
Detroit, Michigan has made an effort to address dangerous street design and prioritize the safety of people walking. So far, the changes have been pulling off. Since 2018, the city has seen a 40 percent decrease in fatalities.
Police-reported crash data tells only part of the safety story, and the risks that people walking and biking face on our roadways are potentially much higher than the numbers show. To address safety needs, performance measures and management systems cannot simply respond to crash data alone. The information and recommendations provided in SGA’s Dangerous by … Continued
Designing for walkability is not just about roads. The design of vehicles—everything from their size and shape to their software—has a profound effect on the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. Through our research and testing programs, IIHS is identifying vehicle improvements that can work in conjunction with infrastructure and enforcement changes to produce a safer transportation system for all.