When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced earlier this year that traffic fatalities had leveled off for motorists in 2022, there was cause for cautious optimism. However, there is no such hope for pedestrians, among whom fatalities continue to rise.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit that represents states’ safety offices, found that 2022 was the deadliest year for American pedestrians since 1981. Based on preliminary data from the State Highway Safety Office, the organization projects that 7,508 people were killed while walking near America’s roads.
Not only is that the highest figure in the last 41 years, it is also a stark and sudden increase as compared to just a few years ago. The figure in 2022 was nearly 19 percent higher than the 6,324 people who were killed in 2019.
Read: Traffic Fatalities Fall By 3.3 Percent In First Three Months Of 2023
As with fatalities for motorists, pedestrian deaths rose during the coronavirus pandemic. However, unlike motorists, the figures for pedestrian have not started falling. Moreover, between 2010 and 2021, pedestrian fatalities rose by 77 percent, as compared to just 25 percent for other road users.
New Mexico and Arizona were among the most dangerous states in America for pedestrians, where the rate of fatalities were at 4.4 and 4.17 per 100,000 people in 2022. In contrast, despite the cold weather and snow, Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota were among the safest, with rates of 0.56, 0.8, and 0.77, respectively.
The rising rates of pedestrian fatalities make America an outlier. By comparison, other developed nations have done more to reduce fatalities among pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. According to experts, those measures include reducing speed limits, adding protected bike lanes, and designing vehicles that better protect people outside the vehicles.
America's affection for large trucks and SUVs, in particular, may be a cause for concern here. As has been widely reported, increasingly tall trucks are obscuring more of their drivers' view of the road. According to the GSHA, an SUV or pickup was the striking vehicle in 40 percent of deaths, as compared to passenger cars, which accounted for 35 percent.
These findings are more evidence that the Department of Transportation's National Roadway Safety Strategy must be supported, the GHSA says. The strategy outlines methods for promoting safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, and post-crash care.
