Pedestrian deaths finally dipped in 2023

The number of U.S. pedestrians killed in traffic crashes declined for the first time since the start of the pandemic in 2023, according to a new report. Still, fatalities remain far above pre-pandemic levels.

The Governors Highway Safety Association estimated that 7,318 pedestrians died in vehicle crashes last year, a 5.4% decrease from the year before. But that number is still 14.1% higher than it was in 2019.

Even with the lower numbers, roughly 20 pedestrians die every day in the U.S.

The number of walkers who died decreased in 29 states, with California and Arizona seeing the biggest improvements in total numbers of lives lost. Together, they accounted for 243 fewer deaths, while the national total dropped by 419.

Colorado saw the biggest increase in pedestrian fatalities, with 29 more in 2023 than in 2024. Maryland and Kentucky followed with the next-highest upticks, with 24 each. Florida, which regularly rates as one of the most dangerous states for pedestrians, saw an additional 21 deaths compared to the year before. That brought the Sunshine State’s pedestrian death toll to 801.

Safety advocates have been closely watching the number of pedestrian fatalities for the last decade, when they started to climb. The number of people walking who died in 2022 was 83% higher than it had been in 2009. The 7,522 people who died in 2022 marked a 40-year high in pedestrian deaths. Pedestrians now make up nearly one out of every five people who die in traffic crashes.

The GHSA estimates are the first indication since the start of the pandemic that conditions for walkers are getting better. It comes at a time when Americans are driving more, but overall road deaths have declined every quarter for two years.

Pam Shadel Fischer, GHSA’s senior director of external engagement, said the slight improvement in pedestrian safety is likely the result of several factors working together.

Many communities have improved infrastructure for pedestrians, whether that means reconfigured roads to slow down vehicles, extra time for pedestrians to cross at stoplights or even just repainted crosswalks, she said. The Biden administration has encouraged those efforts with grants from the 2021 infrastructure law, as well as initiatives to promote “complete streets” that accommodate all types of road users, not just people in vehicles.

It also appears that police are enforcing traffic laws more frequently than they did during the initial days of the pandemic, when the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis prompted law enforcement to pull back nationwide, Fischer said.

“When you see officers on the road, it makes a difference,” she said. “People are less likely to speed, they’re less likely to be on their cellphones, they’re more likely to buckle up (although that’s not a pedestrian issue) and they’re less likely to be impaired.”

State highway safety offices have been giving grants to law enforcement agencies to move away from pretextual traffic stops—like pulling over a motorist for a broken tail light—and focusing on risky behaviors, Fischer said.

But with pedestrian deaths still near historic highs, safety advocates have been searching for reasons why the numbers have been climbing in recent years.

One trend that sticks out is that most of the increase in pedestrian deaths have come at night. In 2022, nearly 78% of all pedestrian deaths occurred during the dark, even though that’s the time with the least traffic. The number of people walking who died at night increased by 91% since 2010. By comparison, the number of pedestrian deaths during daylight hours increased by 28%.

Native American, Hispanic and Black pedestrian deaths are especially high during the night.

Fischer said federal research shows that good lighting can reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Communities should install more lighting, make sure it illuminates people walking without distracting drivers, and use LEDs that are brighter and last longer, she said. But they also need to make sure the upgraded lighting is put in the neighborhoods that need it. “People who are in communities of color are more likely to be walking in the dark, because the infrastructure isn’t there,” she said. “We need to recognize that it’s an equity issue, and where we place lighting is incredibly important.”

Smart Growth America, another advocacy group that promotes alternatives to driving, has also pushed for more lighting to be installed.

“If you ask a transportation engineer why lighting issues haven’t been addressed, they’ll likely cite comparatively high lighting costs,” wrote London Weier last year. “For example, improving the visibility of crosswalk striping usually costs approximately $5,000 and a large-scale project such as traffic signal installation typically costs approximately $400,000 per intersection. On the other hand, pedestrian-scale lighting systems of 34 poles spaced 50 feet apart in San Francisco cost $610,000 in total.”

“But cost isn’t as great a barrier as it might seem,” she added. “Technology like LED lighting and smart/adaptive lighting can improve efficiency and decrease the cost of street lighting.”

The GHSA report also highlighted other trends that could be contributing to the elevated number of pedestrian fatalities.

• More than half (52%) of pedestrian deaths involved light trucks, an increase from nearly 44% a decade ago. SUVs are becoming increasingly common on U.S. roads, but they are heavier, have bigger blind spots particularly in the front of the vehicle, and their shape makes them more deadly to pedestrians because their high hoods strike adult pedestrians in their chest rather than in their waist or legs.

• Nearly a third of pedestrians who die show elevated blood alcohol levels. While there’s no legal limit for walking, the fact that so many people die while they are intoxicated indicates that communities have not made accommodations for them, Fischer said. “We’re encouraging people not to drive” to bars, restaurants and entertainment districts, she said, “but are we also thinking about the potential for people on foot to be at risk when they’re not fully cognizant, they’re not making the best decisions and their reaction times are going to be a lot slower?”

• Eight states reporting the pedestrian data to GHSA mentioned homelessness as a growing pedestrian safety concern. “Alarmingly,” GHSA wrote in the report, “in Hawaii, nearly half of all non-motorized traffic fatalities in 2022 involved an unhoused individual.” Many people experiencing homelessness stay near roadways and under overpasses, and they often don’t have a choice but to walk where they need to go, Fischer said.