Traffic Deaths Rise Sharply on Western Roads

Writing in High Country News, Jonathan Thompson outlines some of the unique causes of traffic deaths in the U.S. West, a region that sees more road fatalities than almost any other in the country besides the South. “While traffic deaths have been increasing nationwide alongside population growth, the West’s highways appear to be getting even deadlier over time, especially for pedestrians,” Thompson writes.

The regional causes of traffic deaths are diverse: “Indigenous people are twice as likely as white people to die on American highways, and the risk is even higher for people who are walking. Many drivers cannot afford larger cars that are safer for their occupants, leaving them at the mercy of ever larger and more costly SUVs. At the same time, low-income neighborhoods are less likely to have sidewalks, adequate street lighting or traffic-calming devices, making pedestrians more vulnerable.”