Understanding the rise in pedestrian deaths across the nation

Pedestrian deaths caused by vehicles are hitting record levels.

There was a slight decrease from the end of the 1970s to 2009, but since then, the number has just kept climbing, with pedestrian fatalities accounting for nearly 17% of total traffic deaths from 2017 to 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A recent in-depth story by The Washington Post determined that deaths caused by being struck by a vehicle on the road increased by 70% from 2010 to 2023.

What’s causing the increase? Many things.

• Bigger vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, account for more than half of car sales. The taller and heavier the vehicle, and the bigger the blind spot, the more likely it is to cause a fatal strike.
• Smartphones have escalated distractions for both drivers and pedestrians, whether it’s texting or navigating.
• The Washington Post noted that the design of some of the country’s most deadly streets increases the likelihood of accidents.
• Naturally, accidents occur more often at nighttime. Some streets have poor lighting or are surrounded by buildings with bright lights, both of which decrease visibility.

The most dangerous states for pedestrians are Arizona, Tennessee and North Carolina, according to The Washington Post, and Nick Ferenchak, chairman of the Transportation Research Board’s pedestrian committee, went as far as to say that some parts of the state are “death traps” for walkers.

Over 3,800 people were killed almost instantly when they were hit by a vehicle in 2023, according to The Washington Post. “The rate at which pedestrians are declared dead at the scene of the crash has more than doubled” since 2010.

How safe is Utah?

The data shows that Utah fluctuates year by year in terms of pedestrian deaths.

In 2024, an estimated 281 people were killed on Utah roads. One-third of those deaths were pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. Over 160 pedestrians received serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle and 43 were killed, according to Zero Fatalities.

”Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and behind every statistic is a family forever changed,” Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Cam Roden told KSL. “Reducing roadway fatalities requires us to drive with care, patience and commitment to making safety our top priority.”

Statistics for 2023 show a 25% decrease in deaths, from 54 in 2022 to 40 in 2023, according to injury law firm Flickinger Boulton Robson Week. Still, pedestrian fatalities accounted for almost 15% of traffic-related deaths in the state.

In 2022, 320 lives were lost on Utah roads, state data shows, including:

• 53 pedestrian fatalities.
• 15 bicyclist fatalities.
• 50 motorcyclist fatalities.

All numbers were more deaths than the year before.

“One startling takeaway from this last year is how many of our most vulnerable road users’ lives were lost,” John Gleason, UDOT public relations director, said in a press release from 2023. “Everyone shares the road, whether they’re driving, walking, or riding a bike or motorcycle, and all road users have an equal responsibility to watch out for one another.”

Ogden police investigate after a fatal auto-pedestrian accident on 12th Street on Monday, July 29, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Purchase Image

---

Other stories related to pedestrian crashes:

2 juveniles hospitalized after being hit by car while riding electric motorcycle