Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


Transportation Safety


Section Navigation
			
			CDC Home








Pedestrian Safety						Print
																Related Pages
										People Crossing Street in New York City
Nearly 8,000 pedestrians were killed on our nation’s roads in crashes involving a motor vehicle in 2021.1 That’s about one death every 66 minutes.1
One in six people who died in crashes in 2021 were pedestrians.1
There were also an estimated 104,000 emergency department visits of pedestrians treated for non-fatal crash-related injuries in 2020.1Timely data can help prevention efforts. This chart shows the number of pedestrian deaths by month and year, including the most recent provisional data available. You can access the full interactive chart by clicking on the image or the button below.View Pedestrian Fatal Injury TrendsSpeed, location, vehicle size, and alcohol are major risk factors.Higher vehicle speeds increase both the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck by a car and the injury severity.2-3
Most pedestrian deaths (60% in 2020) occur on high-capacity urban roads that typically have posted speed limits of 45-55 miles per hour.4Many of these roads suffer from a design conflict between providing destinations (e.g., stores, restaurants) that people need to access and allowing high travel speeds that often prioritize vehicle movement.
For example, among 60 roads that had the most pedestrian deaths during 2001-2016, all were roads with adjacent commercial retail space, nearly all were multilane roads, and more than three-quarters had speed limits of 30 miles per hour or higher.5
SUVs can cause more harm to a person on foot when a crash occurs because of their greater body weight and larger profile.6
Alcohol was involved for the driver and/or pedestrian in nearly half (49%) of crashes that resulted in a pedestrian death in 2021.7 In these crashes:
About one out of five (19%) involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dL)—a level that is illegal for adults aged 21 and older in all U.S. states (Note: Utah has a BAC limit of 0.05 g/dL).7
About one out of three (30%) involved a pedestrian with a BAC of at least 0.08 g/dL.7Some groups have higher risk for pedestrian deathchild running on crosswalk
Adults ages 65 years and older accounted for about 17% of the U.S. population in 2021. However, this group accounted for 21% of all pedestrian deaths in 2021.1
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native, and Black persons had the highest pedestrian death rates among all racial and ethnic groups in 2021.1Local and state public health partners, other transportation-related agencies, and communities can work together to keep pedestrians safe by:Using sources of public health data, like death certificates, hospital, and emergency department data, to gain a better understanding of pedestrian injury outcomes and prioritize interventions appropriately.
Considering evidence-based strategies to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.8,9Partnering with agencies that prevent and treat substance misuse and use disorders to prioritize intervention placement and reduce impaired driving.
Considering evidence-based strategies that promote driving at safe speeds.9
Developing community-based coalitions that adopt the Safe System approach – a framework designed to protect everyone on the road.
Prioritizing safety over speed and evidence-based design strategies10 like lane narrowing, better lighting, and sidewalk installation during road planning processes.
Reading more about the Safe System approach.You can keep yourself safe as a pedestrian by:Increasing your visibility when walking at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing reflective clothing, such as reflective vests.7
Crossing streets at a designated crosswalk or intersection whenever possible.7
Walking on a sidewalk or path instead of the road. Walk on the shoulder and face traffic if a sidewalk or path is not available.7
Avoiding using electronic devices like earbuds, which can cause distractions when you are walking.Additional Resources**Examine counts, rates, and costs of pedestrian-related deaths and Emergency Room visits in the United States by year, state, and demographics**
WISQARSTM (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System)**Examine other sources of pedestrian safety data**
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety**Learn how public health and safety organizations can collaboratively design and implement pedestrian safety programs in their communities**
National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA): Pedestrian Safety
World Health Organization: Pedestrian safety: a road safety manual for decision-makers and practitioners
Federal Highway Administration: Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety
Vision Zero Network: Guidance on taking a collaborative approach to improve transportation safety for pedestrians and all road users**Help support safely walking to school**
National Center for Safe Routes to School**Walk for improved health and environmental outcomes**
CDC: Walking for Physical Activity
CDC: Active People, Healthy Nation
CDC: Climate and Health ProgramReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). WISQARS — Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2022.
Rosen, E. & Sander, U. (2009) Pedestrian Fatality Risk as a Function of Car Impact Speed. *Accident Analysis & Prevention*, 41(3), 536-542.
Tefft, B. (2013) Impact Speed and a Pedestrian’s Risk of Severe Injury or Death. *Accident Analysis & Prevention*, 50, 871-878.
Governors Highway Safety Association. Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2021 [PDF – 37 pages] Preliminary Data, page 15.
Schneider, RJ & Proulx, FR (2021) United States Fatal Pedestrian Crash Hot Spot Locations and Characteristics. *Journal of Transport and Land Use*, 14(1), 1-23.
Monfort SS. & Mueller BC. (2020) Pedestrian Injuries from Cars and SUVs: Updated Crash Outcomes from the Vulnerable Road User Injury Prevention Alliance. *Traffic Injury Prevention*, 21(sup 1), S165-S167.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts 2021 Data: Pedestrians. U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC; 2023.
Guide to Community Preventive Services. CPSTF Findings for Motor Vehicle Injury: Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving. 2021.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Countermeasures that Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide for State Highway Safety Offices [PDF – 641 pages]. Tenth Edition. 2020.
Federal Highway Administration. Noteworthy Local Policies that Support Safe and Complete Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks [PDF – 107 pages]. U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC; 2016.
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  October 3, 2023						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeTransportation Safety
Data and Resources for States and Tribesplus icon
LINCS Guide
State Data Linkage Systems
Cost Data and Prevention Policiesplus icon
Motor Vehicle Prioritizing Interventions and Cost Calculator for States (MV PICCS)plus icon
Intervention Fact Sheets
Intervention Glossary
Costs of Crash Deaths
Child Passenger Safetyplus icon
Get the Facts
What Works: Strategies to Increase Car Seat and Booster Seat Use
Publications
Resources
Booster Seat Planning Guide
Seat Beltsplus icon
Get the Facts
State Fact Sheets
What Works: Strategies to Increase Restraint Use
Publications
Policy Impact
Teen Driversplus icon
Get the Facts
Parents Are the Key
GDL Planning Guide
Publications
Older Adult Driversplus icon
MyMobility Planplus icon
Resources
Spanish Resources
Related Pages
Medicines Risk Fact Sheet
Impaired Drivingplus icon
Get the Facts
State Fact Sheets
What Works: Strategies to Reduce or Prevent Alcohol-Impaired Driving
Increasing Alcohol Ignition Interlock Use
Publications
Distracted Driving
Pedestrian Safetyplus icon
Publications
Tribal Road Safetyplus icon
Get the Facts
Roadway to Safer Tribal Communities Fact Sheets
Best Practices Guide
Program Evaluation Guide
Publications
Motorcycle Safety
Bicycle Safetyplus icon
Publications
Global Road Safetyplus icon
Publications & Resources To receive email updates about this topic, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue