The number of pedestrian fatalities in the United States increased 19 percent from 2009 to 2014, a period in which total traffic deaths decreased by about 4 percent. In fact, pedestrians now account for the largest proportion of traffic fatalities recorded in the past 25 years. Earlier studies by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), based on preliminary data reported by State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs), were the first to predict recent increases in pedestrian fatalities. The present study, based on preliminary data from all states and the District of Columbia (DC) for the first six months of 2015, found an increase of 6 percent in the reported number of fatalities compared with the first six months of 2014. After adjusting for anticipated underreporting in the preliminary state data, GHSA estimates there has been a 10 percent increase in the number of pedestrians killed in 2015 compared with 2014. In addition, pedestrian deaths as a percent of total motor vehicle crash deaths have increased steadily from 11 percent in 2005-2007 to 15 percent in 2014. It has been 25 years (1990) since pedestrians accounted for 15 percent of total traffic fatalities. Preliminary data indicate that pedestrians will represent about 15 percent of total fatalities again in 2015. GHSA’s latest survey indicates the following: * States reported a range of decreases, increases, and unchanged number of pedestrian fatalities in the first half of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014: - 21 states had decreases in pedestrian fatalities; - 26 states and the District of Columbia had increases; and - three states — Maine, Utah, and Wyoming ? remained the same. * States differ widely in fatality numbers: - The number of pedestrian deaths for the first half of 2015 ranged from 0 in Vermont to 347 in California; - Four states — California, Florida, Texas and New York — accounted for 42 percent of all pedestrian deaths; and - Arizona, Delaware, and Florida had the highest rates of pedestrian deaths per resident population. * States use various combinations of engineering, enforcement and education countermeasures to address pedestrian safety, including targeted traffic enforcement in conjunction with public outreach and education. Many factors contribute to changes in the number pedestrian fatalities, including economic conditions, demographics, weather conditions, fuel prices, the amount of motor vehicle travel, and the amount of time people spend walking. Travel monitoring data published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) indicates that motor vehicle travel on all roads and streets increased by +3.5 percent (+52 billion vehicle miles) for the first half of 2015 as compared with the same period in 20141. A more recent contributing factor may be the growing use of cell phones while walking, which can be a significant source of distraction for pedestrians. (Author/publisher)
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