Crossing the road: it’s something most of us learned when we were very young. Few of us ever give a second thought to it, nor are we scared when we walk down the streets. Yet, every year tens of thousands of Americans are killed and injured by motor vehicles. From drunk drivers to simple accidents, these collisions are often catastrophic.
While generations of drivers have refined the rules of the road, there’s been a sharp spike in pedestrian fatalities in recent years. Our roads are once again becoming unsafe. What’s caused this untick in tragic deaths? How common is it to get hit by a car? And what are your chances of surviving the accident? Find out below.
Key Insights
- Every year, an estimated 95,000 pedestrians are hit by vehicles in America (as per our internal estimates).
- In the U.S., pedestrian deaths hit a 41-year high in 2022, with 7,508 people killed by vehicles, the highest number since 1981.
- Pedestrian deaths have been gradually on the rise. In 2022, 7,508 pedestrians were killed on U.S. roads, 7,485 in 2021, 6,721 in 2020 and 6,412 in 2019.
- In 2022, there was approximately one pedestrian death every 75 minutes and a pedestrian injury every 5 minutes caused by motor vehicles.
- In 2020, there were approximately 104,000 emergency department visits due to non-fatal pedestrian injuries caused by traffic accidents, a quarter increase from 75,000 in 2018.
- In 2021, 7.40% of pedestrians hit by vehicles died and 21% were severely injured. Over the years, the pedestrian fatality rate has been in the range of 7.20-7.40%. In 2020 it was 7.20% and 7.35% in 2019.
- 1 in 4 pedestrians hit by vehicles driving at speed 25 mph end up severely injured and 1 in 9 pedestrians hit at 35 mph ends up dead (NHTSA 2021).
- 84% of pedestrian fatalities happened in urban areas on roads where there were no intersections in 2021. The figure has been roughly around 80% in the last decade.
- Historically, about 70% of pedestrian fatalities have been male.
- In 2021, 32% of pedestrians killed in the crash had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent (above legal driving limit).
- Motorist speeding caused 8% of pedestrian deaths in 2021, a rise from 6% before the pandemic (2020).
- Pedestrians accounted for 17% of traffic fatalities in 2021, compared to 14.79% in 2020 (a rise of 13%).
- Most pedestrian injuries happen between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm and between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm highest number of fatal pedestrian accidents occur.
- At a speed of 25 mph, getting hit by an SUV, minivan and pickup truck has a 54% more mortality rate than being hit by a sedan or hatchback.
- Pedestrian deaths have increased by 77% since 2010, majorly due to the rise in vehicles on the road and increased reckless driving.
- SUV crashes leading to pedestrian deaths increased by 120%, versus a 26% increase for passenger cars over the past decade.
- As per a 2017 report, the probability of dying in a pedestrian accident was 1 in 556.
- A 30-year-old has a 36% chance of dying in a 40-mph collision; for a 70-year-old, the chance is 70%.
- The risk of a pedestrian surviving a car crash is 90% at 19 mph, 60% at 25 mph, and 10% at 31 mph.
- An increase of 10 mph equates to a doubling in the pedestrian mortality rate.
- The most dangerous time for pedestrians is from dusk onwards, with rates rising from 5 pm in January and 8 pm in June and July.
Total Fatalities Annually in the United States
Here’s a shocking statistic: pedestrian deaths hit a 41-year high in the U.S. in 2022. In 2022, 7,508 pedestrians were killed by vehicles, according to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, the highest number since 1981. That’s approximately one death every 75 minutes. Data indicate that pedestrian fatalities have increased by 3 to 5% every year in the past four years.
Here’s how total pedestrian fatalities have risen over the years in America:
- 2022: 7,508
- 2021: 7,485
- 2020: 6,721
- 2019: 6,412
- 2018: 6,590
To delve further into the stats: An estimated 95,000 pedestrians are hit by vehicles annually in America and about 7% of pedestrian accidents are fatal. In 2021, motorist speeding was the cause of death in 8% of cases – an increase from 6% pre-pandemic.
Furthermore, the use of smartphones, particularly for social media apps, is a principal cause in a large proportion of cases. The Traffic Safety Administration found that over 3,500 people were killed due to distracted driving in 2021.
How Have Pedestrian Fatality Rates Changed?
Pedestrian deaths have skyrocketed by 77% between 2010 and 2022. Between 2019-2021, the pedestrian fatality rate was about 7%, and total fatalities have risen by an average of 5% each year in the same period.
What’s behind the increase? Roughly 20 pedestrians a day were killed simply for walking into the street. However, road safety experts blame a spate of reckless driving fueled by the pandemic alongside rising rates of trucks and large vehicles on the road. In cramped suburban streets, these cumbersome metal monsters are ill-suited to the safety of pedestrians.
The National Institute for Highway Safety notes that while SUVs comprised 3% of vehicles in 1983, by 2022, they were the dominant form of transport at 57%. Such large vehicles pack more of a punch and increase the likelihood of hitting a pedestrian in their vulnerable chest. Little wonder then that the number of SUV crashes leading to pedestrian deaths climbed 120% versus just 26% for passenger cars.
Compounding the situation, pedestrians are now more likely to cross the street inebriated. The CDC reports that 32% of accidents involved a pedestrian with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08 g/dL (much greater than the legal limit to drive). A 2023 study also confirmed that drunk pedestrians engage in risky, impulsive behavior, do not look correctly when crossing, and have impaired motor functioning.
Total Injuries Annually in the United States
As expected, injuries are far more common than deaths on the road. Our internal estimates show that about 95,000 pedestrians are hit by vehicles annually in America.
According to the CDC, it wasn’t just deaths that saw a spike; in 2020, there were an estimated 104,000 emergency department visits from pedestrians caused by non-fatal crash-related injuries. That’s over a quarter increase from 2018, when just 75,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents. Overall, however, pedestrians made up 17% of traffic fatalities and a surprising 3% of people were injured in 2017.
Part of the problem is likely alcohol, speeding, and other forms of inebriation. Alcohol had been consumed by either the driver and/or pedestrian in almost half (46%) of cases resulting in a pedestrian death and a similar proportion for injuries.
Probability of Dying or Being Injured as a Pedestrian
The chance of dying in a pedestrian accident in 2017 was 1 in 556 – behind heart disease, suicide, cancer, opioid overdose, falls, gun assaults, and more. That figure has obviously risen in recent years. However, not everyone handles a severe collision in the same way.
Several factors determine the risk posed by a road traffic accident (RTA) to pedestrians. Speed is a key factor – as the higher the speed, the more energy is involved in the collision. Up to around 25 miles an hour, the increase in death rates is relatively minor. However, the rates rise dramatically as the speed increases to around 50-55 miles per hour (mph). Indeed, a person is about 70% more likely to be killed by a vehicle traveling 30 mph compared to 25 mph.
The second factor is age. Older people, due to declining bone density, weaker tendons, and generally worse health, cannot handle the tremendous forces of a collision as well as someone younger. For instance, a 30-year-old has a 36% chance of dying in a 40 mph collision; for a 70 -year-old, the chance is 70%.
What are the Demographics of Injured Pedestrians?
Based on the greater risks to older people, it’s no surprise that while adults aged 65 years and older comprise 17% of the U.S. population, they were 20% of all pedestrian deaths in 2020. Both age extremities are at risk: one in five (20.4%) children under 15 years killed in RTA were pedestrians in the same year versus 17% for people aged 15 years and older.
Just as we see a divergence in age, so too is there a broad spectrum between states. Sunbelt States saw by far the highest pedestrian fatality rates in 2022. For the seventh year in a row, New Mexico was the most dangerous state for pedestrians. Meanwhile, Arizona and Florida both ranked among the top spots. Analysts theorize that bigger communities increase the need to drive.
What is the Chance of Survival of Pedestrians Hit By Cars?
Above, we analyzed the factors deciding the risk of death in a car crash. But what are the absolute risk rates? Analysis conducted in Australia found that the risk of a pedestrian surviving a car crash is:
- 90% at 19 mph (30 kph)
- 60% at 25 mph (40 kph)
- 10% at 31 mph (50 kph)
Even at low speeds, the risks are still great. While a 90% chance of death at roughly 20 mph sounds good, it still means 1 in 10 people would die, and a greater number would be severely injured. However, some studies disagree with these stats.
MoneyGeek analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data from 2015 to 2020 and found that 1 in 3 pedestrians hit by a vehicle traveling 25 mph are severely injured, and 10% of pedestrians hit at 35 mph die – a far cry from the 90% fatality rate found in Australia.
Moreover, an increase of 10 mph in the accelerometer equates to doubling the pedestrian mortality rate. Here’s a table of their findings:
Chance Of A Pedestrian Being Killed Or Severely Injured In A Car Accident
Speed (mph) | Severe Injury Rate | Mortality Rate | Combined |
25 | 31.9% | 4.4% | 36.3% |
30 | 36.8% | 6.8% | 43.6% |
35 | 40.7% | 10.5% | 51.1% |
40 | 42.9% | 15.7% | 58.6% |
45 | 42.8% | 22.9% | 65.7% |
50 | 40.1% | 32.1% | 72.2% |
55 | 34.9% | 43.0% | 77.9% |
65 | 20.9% | 65.7% | 86.6% |
70 | 14.5% | 75.3% | 89.8% |
What Time of Day is the Most Dangerous for Pedestrians?
Getting nervous crossing a road? Don’t fear – here’s the safest time of day for pedestrians. IDV Solutions investigated the fatality rate hour by hour, month by month. They discovered that in January, 38% of traffic accidents between 6 pm and 7 pm involved pedestrians; in contrast, between 2 pm and 3 pm, it was just 8% of traffic collisions.
Their analysis clearly shows the period at dusk to be the highest time for accidents – with rates rising from 5 pm onwards in January and 8 pm onwards in June and July. Midday was typically the safest time of day across all seasons.
What is the Average Speed At Which Pedestrians Are Hit?
Speed is the #1 determinant of injury. Unfortunately, while we know the risks at each speed, there’s no way to know the exact speed involved in most collisions. We do know speeding was a key factor in almost 30% of traffic fatalities in 2021.
Reducing the speed of a road is a proven method to reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries from RTAs. But just lowering the speed limit isn’t sufficient; adequate enforcement is needed to ensure people follow the rules.
Sources:
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/motor-vehicle-safety-issues/speeding/
- https://grist.org/living/hey-pedestrians-heres-when-youre-most-likely-to-die/
- https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/pedestrian-risk-map.png
- https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/why-pedestrian-deaths-hit-41-year-high-rcna91506
- https://www.npr.org/2023/06/26/1184034017/us-pedestrian-deaths-high-traffic-car
- https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/pedestrian_safety/index.html
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures/countermeasures-work/pedestrian-safety
- https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/pedestrian-safety
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/preventable-death-overview/odds-of-dying/
- https://www.propublica.org/article/unsafe-at-many-speeds
- https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/auto/analysis/pedestrian-chance-of-survival/
- https://www.motorbiscuit.com/speed-die-car-crash/
- https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/06/why-pedestrian-deaths-are-skyrocketing-in-america.html
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753522002636
