Are American Roads Getting More Dangerous for Pedestrians?

Are American roads getting more dangerous for pedestrians? The most honest answer is yes, when looking at the long-term trend, even though the most recent data shows some signs of improvement. Pedestrian deaths are lower than the recent peak reached in 2022, but they remain far above the levels seen in the late 2000s and early 2010s. For people walking to work, crossing a busy road, leaving a grocery store, walking a dog, or heading to school, the risk is still much higher than it should be.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 7,080 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in 2024, and more than 71,000 were injured. NHTSA’s 2024 crash overview also found that while overall traffic deaths decreased from 2023 to 2024, pedestrian injuries increased by 5%. The Governors Highway Safety Association reported that pedestrian deaths fell in the first half of 2025, but still remained above 2019 levels.

That means the story is not simple. The country may be moving in a better direction after the pandemic-era spike in roadway deaths, but American roads are still dangerous for pedestrians because of speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, road design, larger vehicles, poor lighting, missing sidewalks, hit-and-run crashes, and dangerous crossings.

The Short Answer: Yes, but With Recent Improvement

The question “Are American roads getting more dangerous for pedestrians?” depends on the time period being considered. Compared with 2022, the recent trend is improving. Compared with 2009, 2014, or even pre-pandemic 2019, the situation is still much worse.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that pedestrian deaths in 2024 were 72% higher than the low point reached in 2009. That is a major long-term increase. NHTSA also reports that pedestrians made up 18% of all traffic deaths in 2024. In other words, people outside vehicles continue to make up a large share of roadway deaths, even as many modern vehicles have become safer for the people inside them.

Recent decreases should not be ignored. They may suggest that safety investments, enforcement, technology, and public awareness are beginning to help. But a decline from a historically high level does not mean roads are safe. It means the crisis may be easing, not that it has been solved.

National Pedestrian Fatality and Injury Trends

The long-term data shows why pedestrian safety advocates remain concerned. Pedestrian deaths rose sharply over the last decade, especially during and after the pandemic years. Even with recent decreases, the number of people killed while walking remains significantly higher than it was in 2014.

Year	Pedestrians Killed in U.S. Traffic Crashes	Estimated Pedestrians Injured	Key Takeaway
2014	4,910	65,072	Baseline year showing significantly lower deaths than recent years.
2015	5,494	70,077	Fatalities increased sharply from 2014.
2016	6,080	86,399	Pedestrian deaths crossed 6,000.
2017	6,075	71,290	Fatalities stayed above 6,000.
2018	6,374	75,157	Deaths continued rising.
2019	6,272	75,650	Final pre-pandemic year.
2020	6,565	54,771	Fatalities rose despite reduced travel during the pandemic.
2021	7,470	60,579	Major increase during the pandemic-era roadway safety spike.
2022	7,593	67,341	Recent high point in NHTSA’s 2023 pedestrian data.
2023	7,367	68,241	Fatalities declined, but remained historically high.
2024	7,080	71,635	Fatalities decreased again, but injuries increased 5%.

The table shows the most important point: the recent decline is real, but the long-term rise is also real. Pedestrian deaths in 2024 were far higher than in 2014. The number of estimated pedestrian injuries also increased from 2023 to 2024, which suggests that nonfatal pedestrian crashes remain a serious concern even when fatality numbers improve.

Why Pedestrians Are So Vulnerable

Pedestrians have little protection in a crash. A vehicle occupant may have airbags, seat belts, crumple zones, and the structure of the vehicle itself. A pedestrian has none of that. When a person walking is hit by a car, SUV, pickup, van, bus, or truck, the human body absorbs the impact directly.

Speed makes that danger worse. A driver who is speeding has less time to notice a person crossing the road and less distance to stop. The pedestrian also has less time to react. Higher impact speeds are more likely to cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, fractures, internal injuries, amputations, or death.

This is why pedestrian crashes are often so severe. Even a crash that looks “low speed” to a driver can cause serious injuries to a person on foot, especially if the victim is a child, older adult, disabled person, or someone struck by a larger vehicle.

Where and When Pedestrian Deaths Happen

The data shows that pedestrian deaths are not spread evenly across all road conditions. They are heavily concentrated in certain environments: urban areas, dark conditions, non-intersection locations, major roads, and hit-and-run crashes.

2024 Pedestrian Crash Factor	Statistic	What It Suggests
Pedestrian deaths in urban areas	84%	Urban and suburban road corridors are major risk zones for people walking.
Pedestrian deaths in rural areas	16%	Rural roads account for fewer deaths, but crashes may involve higher speeds.
Deaths away from intersections	73%	Mid-block crossings, long distances between crosswalks, and road design may contribute to danger.
Deaths at intersections	18%	Crosswalks and signals do not eliminate risk when drivers fail to yield or turn carelessly.
Deaths in darkness	76%	Poor visibility, lighting, speed, and impaired driving are major concerns.
Deaths in daylight	20%	Daytime crashes still happen, often due to speed, distraction, or failure to yield.
Deaths in single-vehicle crashes	90%	Most fatal pedestrian crashes involve one striking vehicle.
Hit-and-run pedestrian deaths	24%	Nearly one in four pedestrians killed was struck by a driver who fled.

These numbers help explain why people may feel unsafe walking near wide roads, high-speed corridors, poorly lit streets, and areas without sidewalks or safe crossings. A pedestrian does not need to be on a highway to be in danger. Many fatal crashes occur on ordinary roads that mix fast vehicle traffic with people walking to stores, buses, schools, apartments, jobs, or parking lots.

Are Bigger Vehicles Making Pedestrian Crashes Worse?

Vehicle size is one of the most discussed reasons American roads may be getting more dangerous for pedestrians. SUVs and pickup trucks have become more common, and many have taller front ends, higher hoods, larger blind zones, and more mass than smaller passenger cars.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has reported that SUVs are more likely than cars to kill pedestrians in certain crashes. IIHS has also found that SUVs, pickups, vans, and minivans are more likely than cars to hit pedestrians while making turns, which may point to visibility problems caused by vehicle size and design.

This matters because pedestrian crash outcomes are not only about whether a driver hits someone. They are also about how the vehicle hits the person. A taller front end can strike higher on the body, increasing the risk of head, chest, pelvic, and internal injuries. A smaller car may be more likely to throw a pedestrian onto the hood, while a taller vehicle may be more likely to knock a person down and run over them.

Road Design Also Plays a Major Role

Many American roads were built primarily to move vehicles quickly, not to protect people walking. Wide lanes, long crossing distances, high speed limits, slip lanes, poor lighting, missing sidewalks, limited crosswalks, and large parking-lot entrances can all create danger for pedestrians.

The risk is especially serious on major arterial roads. These roads often run through commercial corridors with stores, bus stops, restaurants, apartment complexes, medical offices, and schools, yet they may be designed like mini-highways. People need to cross them, but the road may not provide enough safe opportunities to do so.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program was created to fund local, regional, and Tribal efforts to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. That kind of investment matters because pedestrian safety cannot be solved by telling pedestrians to “be careful.” Safer roads require safer design.

Speed, Darkness, and Driver Behavior

Speed is one of the most important factors in pedestrian crash severity. A speeding driver has less time to stop and is more likely to cause catastrophic injury. Darkness makes the problem worse because drivers may not see pedestrians until it is too late, especially when lighting is poor, roads are wet, crosswalks are faded, or the pedestrian is crossing outside a signalized intersection.

Driver behavior is also a major part of the problem. Distracted driving, impaired driving, aggressive driving, failure to yield, running red lights, unsafe turns, and speeding can all lead to pedestrian crashes. In 2024, NHTSA reported that alcohol involvement for the driver or pedestrian was reported in 43% of fatal pedestrian crashes.

After a pedestrian accident, the question is often not just “Where was the pedestrian?” It is also “What was the driver doing?” Was the driver speeding? Looking at a phone? Turning without checking the crosswalk? Driving drunk or drugged? Ignoring a traffic signal? Failing to slow down in a dark area? Those facts can make a major difference in a legal claim.

Recent Signs of Progress

Although the long-term trend is concerning, there are some signs of progress. NHTSA reported that pedestrian fatalities decreased from 2023 to 2024. GHSA also reported that drivers struck and killed 3,024 pedestrians in the first half of 2025, down 10.9% from the same period the year before.

Recent Safety Indicator	Statistic	Why It Matters
2024 pedestrian deaths	7,080	Lower than 2023, but still historically high.
2024 pedestrian injuries	71,635	Up 5% from 2023, showing injury risk remains serious.
First-half 2025 pedestrian deaths	3,024	Down 10.9% from first-half 2024.
First-half 2025 vs. 2019	2.5% higher	The 2025 improvement still had not fully returned pedestrian deaths to pre-pandemic levels.
2024 deaths vs. 2009 low point	72% higher	Long-term pedestrian danger remains elevated.

Technology may also help. NHTSA finalized a rule requiring automatic emergency braking systems on new cars and light trucks, including pedestrian detection in daylight and darkness. The rule requires vehicles to brake automatically at certain speeds when a pedestrian is detected. That is a positive development, but it will take time for newer safety technology to spread through the vehicle fleet.

What This Means After a Pedestrian Accident

For an injured pedestrian, national statistics are not just numbers. They help explain why these crashes are often serious, why liability may be disputed, and why evidence matters. Insurance companies may try to blame the pedestrian, argue that the driver had no time to stop, or claim the pedestrian crossed outside a marked crosswalk. But pedestrian accident cases often require a deeper investigation.

Important evidence may include:

1. Police reports, crash diagrams, citations, and officer observations.
2. Surveillance footage, dashcam video, traffic camera footage, and nearby business or doorbell camera recordings.
3. Witness statements from drivers, passengers, nearby workers, pedestrians, cyclists, or residents.
4. Vehicle data, phone records, skid marks, debris, lighting conditions, and road design evidence.
5. Medical records, imaging, specialist reports, therapy notes, wage loss records, and documentation of long-term limitations.

Pedestrian accident evidence can disappear quickly. Video may be overwritten within days. Witnesses may become hard to locate. Vehicles may be repaired or moved. Road conditions may change. That is why early investigation is so important after a serious pedestrian crash.

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian crashes can happen for many reasons, and more than one factor may contribute to the same accident. A driver may be speeding and distracted. A road may lack safe crossings and lighting. A vehicle may have limited visibility because of its size. A pedestrian may be crossing where many people commonly cross because the nearest marked crosswalk is too far away.

Some common causes include:

• Drivers failing to yield at crosswalks, intersections, turns, and parking-lot entrances.
• Speeding, aggressive driving, tailgating, or running red lights and stop signs.
• Distracted driving, including texting, phone use, navigation apps, or in-vehicle screens.
• Impaired driving involving alcohol, drugs, or fatigue.
• Dangerous road design, poor lighting, missing sidewalks, faded crosswalks, or long crossing distances.

A strong legal claim should identify all contributing causes. Sometimes the responsible party is not only the driver. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve a vehicle owner, employer, rideshare company, commercial carrier, government entity, property owner, or another party.

Are American Roads More Dangerous for Certain Pedestrians?

Yes. Some pedestrians face greater risk because of age, location, disability, income, transportation access, or neighborhood design. Older adults may be more likely to suffer fatal injuries when struck. Children may be harder for drivers to see and may have less ability to judge speed and distance. People using wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, or mobility devices may need more time to cross.

Risk is also higher in areas where people have to walk along or across high-speed roads without adequate sidewalks, lighting, curb ramps, signals, medians, or marked crossings. Many of these areas are in lower-income communities, dense urban corridors, or suburban commercial roads where walking is necessary but not safely supported by infrastructure.

This is one reason pedestrian safety is both a traffic issue and a public safety issue. People should not have to own a car to move safely through their community.

What Drivers Can Do to Reduce Pedestrian Crashes

Drivers have a major role in pedestrian safety. A safe driver should slow down in areas where people may be walking, watch carefully when turning, stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, avoid phone use, and use extra caution at night, near schools, near bus stops, and around parking lots.

Drivers should also remember that a pedestrian may be present even where the road design is poor. The absence of a painted crosswalk does not mean people will not need to cross. Stores, apartments, offices, schools, transit stops, parks, and medical buildings all create foot traffic. A driver’s legal responsibility is not only to follow the speed limit, but to drive with reasonable care under the circumstances.

What Pedestrians Can Do to Protect Themselves

Pedestrians cannot control driver behavior or road design, but they can take steps to reduce risk. They should use sidewalks when available, cross at marked crossings when possible, stay alert near turning vehicles, avoid assuming a driver sees them, and use extra caution at night or in bad weather. Reflective clothing, phone flashlights, and light-colored clothing may help visibility in dark areas.

Still, pedestrian safety should not be reduced to blaming people on foot. Many pedestrian crashes happen because roads are designed in ways that expose people to fast traffic. Drivers are operating machines capable of causing severe harm. The greater responsibility should be on the people driving and the systems designed to move vehicles safely around people.

Involved In a Pedestrian Accident? Call KaplunMarx Today For a No Cost Consultation

So, are American roads getting more dangerous for pedestrians? Long term, yes. Pedestrian deaths are far higher than they were in 2009 and much higher than they were a decade ago. The recent declines in 2023, 2024, and early 2025 are encouraging, but they do not erase the broader safety problem.

The data points to several recurring dangers: darkness, high-speed roads, non-intersection crossings, hit-and-run crashes, impaired driving, distracted driving, larger vehicles, and road designs that often prioritize traffic flow over pedestrian safety. Until those issues are addressed consistently, pedestrians will remain vulnerable.

If you or a loved one was injured while walking in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, KaplunMarx can help investigate the crash, identify all responsible parties, deal with the insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact KaplunMarx today for a free consultation.

FAQs About Pedestrian Safety on American Roads

Are American roads getting more dangerous for pedestrians?

Yes, the long-term data shows that American roads have become more dangerous for pedestrians compared with the late 2000s and early 2010s. Pedestrian deaths have declined from the recent peak, but they remain much higher than historical lows.

How many pedestrians were killed in the United States in 2024?

NHTSA reported that 7,080 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in 2024. Pedestrians accounted for 18% of all traffic deaths that year.

Are pedestrian deaths going down?

Recently, yes. Pedestrian deaths decreased from 2023 to 2024, and GHSA reported a decline in the first half of 2025. However, deaths remain above pre-pandemic levels and much higher than the low point reached in 2009.

Why are pedestrian accidents so dangerous?

Pedestrians have no physical protection when struck by a vehicle. Speed, vehicle size, road design, darkness, and driver behavior can all increase the risk of severe injury or death.

Where do most fatal pedestrian crashes happen?

Many fatal pedestrian crashes occur in urban areas, away from intersections, and in dark conditions. Major roads with higher speeds, long crossing distances, and limited pedestrian infrastructure can be especially dangerous.

Are SUVs and pickup trucks more dangerous for pedestrians?

Research from IIHS suggests that SUVs and pickups can pose greater risks to pedestrians than cars in certain crashes. Larger vehicles may have higher front ends, bigger blind zones, and greater impact forces.

Do most pedestrian deaths happen at crosswalks?

No. NHTSA data shows that most pedestrian deaths occur away from intersections. This may reflect problems such as long distances between safe crossings, poor lighting, high-speed roads, and areas where people need to cross but lack safe infrastructure.

What should I do after being hit by a car as a pedestrian?

Get medical help immediately, call police, document the scene, gather witness information, preserve photos or video, and avoid giving detailed insurance statements before speaking with a lawyer. Pedestrian accident claims often require fast evidence preservation.

Can a pedestrian still have a claim if they were not in a crosswalk?

Yes. A pedestrian may still have a claim even if they were not in a marked crosswalk. The facts matter, including driver speed, visibility, distraction, road design, lighting, traffic controls, and whether the driver used reasonable care.

When should I contact a lawyer after a pedestrian accident?

You should contact a lawyer as soon as possible if you were injured, hospitalized, missed work, suffered serious pain, or if the insurance company is blaming you. Early legal help can protect evidence and help identify all possible sources of compensation.