Deadly Pedestrian Accidents: Risk of Fatal Pedestrian Collision is Highest in Past Three Decades

In one 10-year period (2008 to 2017), the number of pedestrian fatalities rose by 35% and the danger continues to grow.

Walking can be deadly, and safety experts are warning that choosing to walk, instead of taking the bus or driving to school or work (or just taking an evening stroll) has become even more dangerous over the past decade.  See, “Why Pedestrian Deaths Are at A 30-Year High,” published by NPR on March 28, 2019.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has studied national traffic death statistics and compiled its findings into a February 2019 report that warns of the rising danger of dying while walking. From the GHSA:

During the 10-year period of 2008 to 2017, the number of pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. increased by 35 percent…. Along with the increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities, pedestrian deaths as a percentage of total motor vehicle crash deaths increased from 12 percent in 2008 to 16 percent in both 2016 and 2017.

See,  Retting, Richard.”Pedestrian traffic fatalities by state.” Washington, DC: Governors Highway Safety Association(2019).

How Dangerous is it to Walk in Indiana and Illinois?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NTHSA) tallied pedestrian fatalities in each state. This is done on an annual basis, and using 2017 data:

• It found that in Illinois, 13.2% of traffic deaths involved someone walking who died in a pedestrian accident.
• The NTHSA figures found Indiana fared somewhat better, with 11.1% of the state’s total accident deaths involving a pedestrian fatality.

This is relatively good news for our part of the country, given that some states have a much higher risk of pedestrian deaths than either Indiana or Illinois.  However, the danger of dying in a pedestrian crash is still unacceptably high here – and it is especially dangerous for those of us who live and work in some areas (i.e., cities) and who fit into certain demographics.

Who Faces the Highest Risk of Dying While Walking Near a Roadway in a Pedestrian Accident?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), certain people face a greater risk of dying in a pedestrian accident.  The CDC warns that those walking on foot with the most danger of being hit and killed by a motor vehicle are:

1. Senior Citizens (Age = 65+ years)

Adults over the age of 65 have died at a greater rate than other adults in pedestrian collisions.  The CDC’s statistics for 2016 found this age group to account for 20% of all pedestrian fatalities that year.

2. Children and Tweens (children under 15 years old)

Youngsters cannot drive, which alone may be a contributing factor to the higher risk they face of dying in a pedestrian accident.  Children under the age of 15 years died in pedestrian accidents at a shockingly high rate in 2016: 20% of all children under 15 years who died in a motor vehicle accident were the victim of a pedestrian collision.

3. Impairment (Drunk Drivers and Drunk Pedestrians)

Drunk driving is a known risk of fatal motor vehicle accidents.  However, walking near roadways while impaired by alcohol has also shown to be a danger for the pedestrian.  The CDC reports that 48% of pedestrian fatalities in this country involve either an impaired driver or an impaired pedestrian.

Drunk pedestrians accounted for 33% of fatal pedestrian collisions (where their blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.08 grams per deciliter or more).

4. Location

Finally, the CDC warns that particular locations are more dangerous for pedestrians than others.  Specifically, those walking (or running) alongside a roadway are more likely to be hit and killed by a motor vehicle in a fatal pedestrian accident when:

1. They are in a urban area;
2. They are near a roadway with higher speed limits;
3. They are walking at night; and
4. They are walking along a section of straight roadway (a “non-intersection location”).

Distractions and Pedestrian Fatalities

The National Security Council (NSC) has another concern regarding the rising number of pedestrian deaths in this country: the impact of modern technology on these fatality risks.

According to the NSC, many of the drivers as well as the walkers who are involved in fatal collisions where someone on foot dies in the motor vehicle accident were distracted by their phones at the time of the crash. For more, read: Accidents From Distracted Phones in Indiana and Illinois: Deadwalkers and Petextrians.

 Avoiding a Fatal Pedestrian Accident: Minimizing Your Risk of Being Hit

Of course, drivers must be held responsible for collisions where they have hit someone on foot in a motor vehicle accident; operating a motor vehicle comes with a duty of care.

However, from a practical perspective in the face of the increasing danger facing pedestrians today, those who are walking near roadways in Indiana and Illinois need to take precautions to minimize their risk of injury or death.

From the NSC, these safeguards include:

1. Walk on the sidewalk
2. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic
3. Obey the traffic signs (stop signs, etc.) and the signals
4. Cross at intersections and crosswalks (don’t jaywalk in the middle of the block)
5. Never cross when your full view of the traffic is blocked
6. Always check both directions twice before entering the roadway (look left, right, and left again)
7. Take extra care to watch for traffic at driveways and in parking lots
8. Make eye contact with drivers, so you know that they see you
9. Never use your phone while you’re walking near traffic
10. Never wear earbuds while you’re walking near traffic
11. Do not walk near roadways when you’re buzzed (impaired)
12. Carry a flashlight at night
13. Wear reflective clothing at night.

Pedestrian Deaths: Justice for Those Killed While Walking in a Motor Vehicle Collision

Sadly, this year people will die from bodily injuries sustained in a collision with a motor vehicle while they have been walking along an Indiana or Illinois roadway.  The rising danger, particularly for seniors and children, to die in a pedestrian accident is unacceptably high without any signs of changing.

The laws of Indiana and Illinois do provide avenues for justice to pedestrian accident victims and their loved ones in the aftermath of a fatal collision where someone walking has died in the auto accident or car crash.

For more information:

• Kids Killed by Being Hit by a Car: The Rising Danger of Child Pedestrian Accidents
• Fatal Pedestrian Accidents: Risk of Pedestrian Death Breaking Records
• Ride a Bicycle or Take a Walk in Indiana or Illinois: Rising Danger of Large Truck Accidents with Pedestrians and Bicyclists
• Distracted Drivers and Danger of Fatal Pedestrian Accidents in Parking Lots and Garages.

We need to be alert and aware that walking is dangerous, making sure our loved ones are alert to the risk of pedestrian accidents in Illinois and Indiana.   Please be careful out there!