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Forbes

Walker Deaths Drop, But Hit-And-Run Crashes And Other Dangers Remain

Pedestrian deaths are increasing at a rate far faster than overall traffic fatalities. Between 2009 ... More and 2023, they rose a staggering 80%, while all other traffic fatalities increased 13%. Drivers struck and killed more than 7,000 people on roads in the United States in 2024, enough to fill 31 Boeing 737 passenger jets. It was a 4.3% decrease from the year before and marked the second annual decline, but pedestrian fatalities, which surged throughout the prior decade, remain nearly 20% above the 2016 level and reached a 40-year high in 2022. And in the last ten years, there are 'alarming trends' of walkers being killed in hit-and-run crashes, by SUVs and pickups, at night, and in places without sidewalks. Those are some of the main findings of a new data analysis of pedestrian fatalities released Thursday by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices. 'The second straight year of fewer pedestrian deaths is a step in the right direction, but much more must be done to protect people walking,' Jonathan Adkins, chief executive of the safety association, said in a statement. The new report, 'Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2024 Preliminary Data,' provides an overview of the contributing factors and trends, an examination of national data, and an initial look at state-by-state fatality statistics. The report highlights how enforcement, data, technology, education, infrastructure and other known solutions are helping to improve safety, and recommendations on how to make the roads safer for people walking. Some key findings and trends about pedestrian deaths from the report: 'Now is the time to double down on what works – more and better infrastructure, enforcement to deter dangerous driving behaviors, engaged and informed communities, and vehicles designed to protect people on foot,' Adkins added. 'An all-in strategy to address pedestrian safety will help us build on this recent momentum and save even more lives.' For more information and to access the full report, click here and here.