Pedestrian deaths hit 40-year high

Pedestrian fatalities in the US are the highest in 40 years, in part because Americans are buying bigger cars that are more likely to kill cyclists or pedestrians in a crash.

By the numbers: Drivers struck and killed at least 7,500 pedestrians last year, according to new estimates of the Governors Highway Safety Association, a non-profit organization focused on highway safety

• The group projects those totals to top 8,100 as more data is finalized.
• That would make 2022 the deadliest year for pedestrians since 1980.
• Deaths have increased since 2010 and the trend worsened significantly during the pandemic.

What’s happening: The report attributes part of the increase to the growing popularity of trucks and SUVs.

• Those larger and heavier vehicles account for a growing share of traffic fatalities.
• There are generally more of them on the road, and you’re also less likely to survive being hit by a truck than you are to survive being hit by a smaller car.
• And many roads are simply not safe to walk on.

Most pedestrian fatalities they do not occur at intersections and are much more common on roads that do not have sidewalks. Speeding is a big factor, especially on small roads.

• The report also says that local governments have significantly reduced traffic enforcement in recent years.