Pedestrian safety is a significant issue all over the United States. In fact, even as as overall motor vehicle collision deaths have fallen significantly, pedestrian deaths are rising.  Just in 2018 alone, 6,283 pedestrians were killed in the United States – the most deaths since 1990. Unfortunately, even though the COVID -19 pandemic, pedestrian accidents and fatalities still remain high.
Our Milwaukee-based personal injury law firm, Cannon & Dunphy, S.C., wanted to take a closer look at pedestrian-vehicle related accidents in the United States. We analyzed data from the NHTSA in a 5-year time frame to discover where pedestrians are most often killed, how many fatalities occur yearly, and the total number of deaths involving pedestrians and passengers in motor vehicle crashes.
Where Are Pedestrians Most Often Killed?
As mentioned, there were 6,283 pedestrian fatalities in the United States in 2018. Unfortunately, this was a 3% increase in deaths compared to the previous year. The interactive map above displays each state’s number of pedestrian fatalities.
Top Three States with the Highest Pedestrian Fatalities (Highest to Lowest):
- California (893)
- Florida (704)
- Texas (612)
Top Three States with the Lowest Pedestrian Fatalities (Highest to Lowest):
- New Hampshire (9)
- South Dakota (10)
- Washington D.C. (11)
Interestingly, states like Maine and Vermont both had 7 cases, while North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming all had 6 pedestrian deaths in 2018.
An Analysis of Pedestrian-Vehicle Related Accidents from 2014-2018
*Data is totaled from all pedestrian fatalities and motor-vehicle accident fatalities from 2014-2018
| State | Pedestrian Fatalities | All Fatalities in Motor-Vehicle Crashes | Total Percentage of Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 540 | 4654 | 11.60 |
| Alaska | 66 | 381 | 17.32 |
| Arizona | 933 | 4630 | 20.15 |
| Arkansas | 239 | 2622 | 9.12 |
| California | 4294 | 17773 | 24.16 |
| Colorado | 382 | 2923 | 13.07 |
| Connecticut | 261 | 1397 | 18.68 |
| Delaware | 145 | 604 | 24.01 |
| District of Columbia | 52 | 135 | 38.52 |
| Florida | 3228 | 14857 | 21.73 |
| Georgia | 1103 | 7196 | 15.33 |
| Hawaii | 134 | 532 | 25.19 |
| Idaho | 70 | 1131 | 6.19 |
| Illinois | 732 | 5121 | 14.29 |
| Indiana | 476 | 4165 | 11.43 |
| Iowa | 111 | 1692 | 6.56 |
| Kansas | 150 | 2034 | 7.37 |
| Kentucky | 361 | 3773 | 9.57 |
| Louisiana | 617 | 3787 | 16.29 |
| Maine | 72 | 757 | 9.51 |
| Maryland | 551 | 2543 | 21.67 |
| Massachusetts | 381 | 1792 | 21.26 |
| Michigan | 775 | 4938 | 15.69 |
| Minnesota | 192 | 1903 | 10.09 |
| Mississippi | 333 | 3320 | 10.03 |
| Missouri | 456 | 4436 | 10.28 |
| Montana | 64 | 974 | 6.57 |
| Nebraska | 84 | 1147 | 7.32 |
| Nevada | 387 | 1587 | 24.39 |
| New Hampshire | 57 | 594 | 9.60 |
| New Jersey | 857 | 2907 | 29.48 |
| New Mexico | 361 | 1860 | 19.41 |
| New York | 1390 | 5167 | 26.90 |
| North Carolina | 977 | 6962 | 14.03 |
| North Dakota | 34 | 600 | 5.67 |
| Ohio | 606 | 5495 | 11.03 |
| Oklahoma | 347 | 3313 | 10.47 |
| Oregon | 347 | 2246 | 15.45 |
| Pennsylvania | 826 | 5910 | 13.98 |
| Rhode Island | 64 | 290 | 22.07 |
| South Carolina | 694 | 4848 | 14.32 |
| South Dakota | 41 | 645 | 6.36 |
| Tennessee | 544 | 5027 | 10.82 |
| Texas | 2923 | 18289 | 15.98 |
| Utah | 192 | 1348 | 14.24 |
| Vermont | 28 | 300 | 9.33 |
| Virginia | 516 | 3876 | 13.31 |
| Washington | 448 | 2658 | 16.85 |
| West Virginia | 110 | 1407 | 7.82 |
| Wisconsin | 265 | 2880 | 9.20 |
| Wyoming | 26 | 641 | 4.06 |
Summary
The table above looks at pedestrian fatalities and total fatalities of everyone involved in a car accident from 2014-2018. Pedestrian fatalities and motor-vehicle passenger fatalities were totaled from the 5 year time frame to calculate the total fatality percentage. Some interesting facts:
- District of Columbia (38.52), New Jersey (29.48), and New York (26.90) ranked the highest nationally.
- Wyoming (4.06), North Dakota (5.67), and Idaho (6.19) ranked the lowest in the total fatalities.
- Larger, urbanized states are likely to have more accidents involving pedestrians, joggers, cyclists etc. while larger rural states will have lower pedestrian fatalities due to road density, travel patterns, higher populations, and more.
- According to the IIHS, although urbanized states have higher pedestrian deaths, data shows rural states have higher motor-vehicle accident fatalities. States such as Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota reflect that with way lower pedestrian fatalities, but higher car accident fatal car accidents.
Pedestrian Safety Tips
Due to the surge in pedestrian accidents, you want to make sure you and your loved ones are walking safely in your community. Follow these safety tips from our Wisconsin personal injury attorneys below to take all necessary precautions:
- Always walk on sidewalks when they are around
- Obey all road signals
- When crossing at intersections, look at cars in all directions and make sure you are visible to them
- Always watch for cars that are reversing on driveways and parking lots
- Increase your visibility on the streets when walking at night. Always bring a flashlight and wear reflective clothing
- Avoid electronic distractions when walking in the community
- Avoid alcohol and drugs when walking as it can impair your judgment