Rising Pedestrian Deaths Are Uniquely 'an American Thing'

Pedestrian traffic deaths have decreased by 28 percent over the last decade worldwide, according to estimates from the WHO Global Status Reports on Road Safety. But this same pattern has not been seen in the United States.

In 2021, U.S. pedestrian fatalities reached a 40-year high, with an average of 20 deaths occurring every single day, according to estimates by the Governors Highway Safety Association. Peter Furth, a transit planning expert at Northeastern University, thinks that two main behavioral changes are to blame.

"It's not happening in Europe, in Canada, in Japan — this is an American thing," he said in a statement.

Between 1980 and 2010, the number of pedestrian fatalities had been steadily dropping in the United States: "We came to have fewer pedestrian and fewer bike fatalities because fewer people were walking and riding bikes," Furth said.

In 1969, roughly half of children would usually walk or cycle to school, according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School. By 2009, just 13 percent did. And, with fewer people walking, pedestrian safety was less of a priority in the sprawling American suburbs of the late 20th century.

But then around 2010, people began to push back.

"There was a movement in society to ride bikes and walk more," Furth said. "We're fighting back—people want to walk."

The benefits of walking cannot be understated. It keeps our heart healthy, aids digestion, can lower blood pressure, and strengthens our muscles. However, when the infrastructure is not there to support it, walking on certain roads can be dangerous. Along with an increase in walking, drivers are also moving towards larger vehicles, particularly SUVs and pickup trucks.

"Between 2009 and 2020 the front bumper has gotten higher and higher on pickup trucks and SUVs," Furth said. "When that front is higher than your hip height, you are 30 percent more likely to die than if you are hit by a car."

If a pedestrian is hit in the legs, they may be thrown onto the vehicle's hood and are more likely to survive the collision. However, if they are hit above the hips, they are more likely to fall under the vehicle and get run over, leading to more serious injuries and fatality risk.

No one is saying that people should stop walking. Instead, Furth says that the solution here is to incorporate pedestrians into urban design. Speed bumps and crossing islands are just a few potential solutions to make roads safer for pedestrians.

"Urban planning recognizes that where people want to walk, you've got to make it safer, and where people don't want to walk, you don't put a store there," Furth said. "There are a lot of simple things that can be done to make pedestrians safer that a few jurisdictions have put in place."