U.S. Street Safety Compares Poorly to Other Developed Countries

A new report from the International Transportation Forum (ITF) shows America's shortcomings on street safety compared to its peer nations.

1 minute read

August 23, 2014, 1:00 PM PDT

By Maayan Dembo @DJ_Mayjahn


As Angie Schmitt of Streetsblog reports, "America’s street safety record puts it near the bottom of the ITF’s ranking of 35 countries, far behind most other developed nations." Compared to the United Kingdoms traffic fatality rate (2.8 per 100,000), the United States is nearly four times higher (10.7), and almost doubles Canada's (5.8). As Schmitt writes, to "put that in perspective, if America had the same traffic fatality rate as the U.K., around 25,000 fewer people would be killed every year."

Indeed, the ITF wrote how American safety measures in the past focused on mandating airbags and seat belt usage and reducing drunk driving rates. In the meantime, European nations reduce traffic deaths by prioritizing the safety of other road users, namely pedestrians and cyclists, as opposed to the convenience of driving. The ITF found that "speed reduction seems to be especially important in reducing pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, where American performance has been particularly poor compared to peer nations. In the U.S., pedestrians accounted for a much greater share of road fatalities in 2012 (29 percent) than in 2000 (18 percent)."

Wednesday, August 20, 2014 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

2 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

4 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press