New analysis by the Governors Highway Safety Association noted that while pedestrian fatalities declined by 2.6 percent in the first half of 2024 versus the first half of 2023, they are up 12 percent compared to first half of 2019 and up 48 percent compared to the first half of 2014.
[Above photo by WSDOT]
Each year, GHSA said it examines state and national trends in pedestrian traffic deaths from January through June based on preliminary data provided by State Highway Safety Offices or SHSOs. Based on its data analysis conducted by research firm Westat for GHSA, over the last decade, deaths of people traveling by foot have risen at a pace nearly seven times higher than U.S. population growth.
GHSA noted that overlapping and interrelated factors may be driving those increases. First, a steep drop in traffic enforcement nationwide since 2020 has let “dangerous driving behaviors run amok,” the organization noted. Second, roads are largely designed to prioritize fast-moving vehicle traffic instead of slower speeds that are safer for people on foot. Third, many communities lack infrastructure – such as sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting – that help protect pedestrians. Finally, the U.S. vehicle fleet is increasingly dominated by larger, heavier vehicles that are more likely to injure or kill people walking.
“Every day, 18 people don’t return home after taking a walk. That’s unacceptable,” said Jonathan Adkins, CEO of GHSA, in a statement.
“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,” he added. “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.”
[Editor’s note: GHSA’s Adkins participated in a knowledge session at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2025 Washington Briefing in early February that delved into ways to further prioritize safety for transportation workers, system users, and U.S. communities as whole.]
Further, 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,” Adkins stressed.
GHSA did point out that the decline in pedestrian deaths in the first half of 2024 mirrors the recent trend in overall traffic fatalities. Total roadway deaths fell 3.2 percent during the first six months of last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
However, much like pedestrian deaths, overall traffic fatalities remain well above what they were five and 10 years ago, GHSA said. The 18,720 roadway deaths in the first half of 2024 are up 10 percent from the 17,025 reported during the same period in 2019 and up 25 percent from 15,035 in 2014, the organization pointed out.
GHSA noted that it will publish a second, comprehensive report later in 2025 regarding pedestrian fatality trends. That report will include state pedestrian fatality projections for all of 2024, an analysis of 2023 data from NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and an overview of proven strategies states and communities are employing to help prevent pedestrian injuries and fatalities, the organization said.
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