Drivers in america struck and killed 3,434 individuals within the first half of 2022 – up 5%, or 168 extra deaths, from the identical interval the 12 months earlier than, in keeping with a brand new evaluation from the Governors Freeway Security Affiliation (GHSA). This deeply troubling projection follows a 40-year excessive in pedestrian deaths in 2021 and continues a ugly decade-long pattern of extra individuals dying whereas strolling on U.S. roads.

GHSA’s annual Highlight on Freeway Security report gives the primary take a look at state and nationwide developments in 2022 pedestrian visitors deaths primarily based on preliminary information offered by State Freeway Security Workplaces (SHSOs). The info evaluation discovered that the latest improve in pedestrian deaths is much more alarming when wanting again to 2019, the final pre-pandemic 12 months. Pedestrian deaths have surged 18%, or 519 further lives misplaced, between the primary half of 2019 and 2022.

“There’s a pedestrian security disaster on our roads, and it’s solely gotten worse because the begin of the pandemic,” mentioned GHSA Chief Government Officer Jonathan Adkins. “A single roadway demise is tragic. But it surely’s completely mind-boggling and heartbreaking that drivers are killing a mean of 19 pedestrians each single day. The one solution to reverse this terrible pattern is to do extra of every thing that works – extra and higher designed infrastructure to maintain individuals strolling protected, equitable enforcement of visitors security legal guidelines to cease harmful driving and interesting extra communities the place the impacts of this disaster are felt the toughest.”

Nationally, there have been 1.04 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 individuals in 2022, up considerably from 0.90 in 2019. The info evaluation was performed by Elizabeth Petraglia, Ph.D., of analysis agency Westat.

Over the previous ten years, pedestrian deaths within the first half of the 12 months skyrocketed from 2,141 in 2013 to three,434 in 2022 – a 60% improve, or practically 1,300 further lives misplaced. Total visitors fatalities have additionally been surging because the begin of the pandemic. The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) reported that 31,785 individuals died in crashes within the first 9 months of 2022, a marginal lower that comes on the heels of practically 43,000 roadway deaths in 2021, probably the most since 2005.

Why are extra individuals strolling dying on U.S. roads? A mixture of things, together with a surge in harmful driving that started in the beginning of the pandemic and has not lessened; bigger, heavier autos which can be extra prone to significantly injure or kill individuals on foot within the occasion of a crash; roads designed to prioritize fast-moving visitors over slower speeds which can be safer for pedestrians; and insufficient infrastructure similar to sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting in lots of components of the nation.

On the state stage, pedestrian fatalities elevated in 24 states throughout the first half of 2022. Twenty-one states skilled declines, and the variety of pedestrian deaths was unchanged in 4 states. Whereas 15 states reported consecutive years of extra pedestrian fatalities (January-June), solely two states reported two straight years of decreases. Oklahoma was unable to offer projections in time for this publication and is subsequently omitted from the info evaluation performed for this report.

To fight this drawback, GHSA helps a complete answer primarily based on the Secure System method outlined within the U.S. Division of Transportation’s Nationwide Roadway Security Technique (NRSS). Every of the 5 parts of this method – protected highway customers, protected autos, protected speeds, protected roads and post-crash care – contribute in numerous however overlapping methods to offer a multi-layered security internet that may shield individuals on foot in addition to different highway customers. GHSA is dedicated to supporting the NRSS and the Secure System method as holistic methods to guard individuals exterior of autos.

The info evaluation additionally discovered that three states – California, Florida and Texas – accounted for 38% of all pedestrian deaths within the first six months of 2022 however are residence to twenty-eight% of the U.S. inhabitants.

GHSA will publish a second, complete Highlight report this spring that may embrace state fatality projections for all of 2022, an evaluation of 2021 information from NHTSA’s Fatality Evaluation Reporting System (FARS) and an outline of confirmed methods states and communities are using to cut back pedestrian crashes and accidents.

Supply: GHSA

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Private Auto