Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’
Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4.3 percent in 2024, reversing a troubling trend, but that number is still almost twice what it was in 2009.
As Matthew Sage reports in Streetsblog USA, preliminary data from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows that 7,737 pedestrians were killed on roadways last year. “The rise in pedestrian fatality rates has been disproportionate to their motorized counterparts, increasing from around 12 percent in 2019 to now almost a fifth of all traffic-related deaths.”
Larger trucks and SUVs, which now make up 80 percent of U.S. vehicle sales, are killing more pedestrians, and hit-and-runs are increasing. “According to the GHSA, drivers flee the scene in about a quarter of pedestrian fatalities nationwide.”
The report recommends a comprehensive approach to improving road safety that includes safer infrastructure, education for road users, and improved enforcement and vehicle technology that focus on safety.
FULL STORY: New Report Shows Pedestrian Fatalities Drop — But Experts Say Not Enough
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