Pedestrian Deaths Hit Record High

A recent study from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association reports that the number of pedestrian deaths caused by careless drivers has reached a record high.  It is estimated that over 7,500 people were killed while walking in 2022.  This is the highest number of pedestrian deaths since 1981.  The result is an average of 20 walkers killed every day by inattentive drivers.

Why Are Pedestrian Deaths Increasing?

The explanation given for the drastic increase in pedestrian deaths ranges from outdated infrastructure to larger and heavier vehicles causing more serious accidents.

However the most plausible explanation for the increase in pedestrian deaths is the increase in reckless driving that began with the pandemic.  During the pandemic shut-down, fewer cars were on the road and this led to increased speed and distracted driving.  Many drivers felt that with the pandemic it was less likely that they would be pulled over for traffic violations.  Unfortunately, the reckless driving and increased pedestrian fatalities continue even after the COVID shut-down was over.

Next Steps

Proposals to help make it safer for pedestrians include “traffic calming” techniques such as adding wide pedestrian island walkways and making some corners sharp instead of round curves at the end of roads which in turn would force drivers to reduce their speed.  Lowering speed limits and adding speeding and red-light cameras have also been proposed by highway safety experts.

One practical takeaway from this is that if you are walking in an area where vehicle traffic is prevalent, exercise increased vigilance for your own safety.  Walk facing traffic whenever possible and never assume a driver sees you when walking in front of a vehicle.  At times of reduced visibility, be sure to wear highly reflective clothing made especially for poor visibility situations.

Even when exercising proper care while walking, a pedestrian can still be seriously injured by a distracted and/or reckless driver.  Our Wisconsin pedestrian accident team has helped many injured pedestrians recover the compensation they deserve.  This includes compensation for past and future medical bills, past and future wage loss as well as past and future pain and suffering.

If you are an injured pedestrian, please call us at 414-273-7400 or use our confidential Contact Form.  We are easy to talk to and our experienced pedestrian accident team can obtain for you and your family the full compensation you deserve.