U.S. pedestrian fatalities reach highest level in 40 years as 71 killed in Massachusetts

Drivers struck and killed an estimated 7,485 pedestrians in 2021 — a median of 20 individuals each day — probably the most such deaths in 4 many years, in accordance with a brand new estimate by the Governors Freeway Security Affiliation.

The brand new projection is a rise of 12% from the earlier yr, leading to 774 extra lives misplaced, together with a minimum of 71 in Massachusetts.

“That is heartbreaking and unacceptable,” mentioned Jonathan Adkins, GHSA government director. “The pandemic has precipitated a lot loss of life and harm, it’s irritating to see much more lives needlessly taken resulting from harmful driving.”

To offer context on pedestrian security tendencies, the report consists of an evaluation of 2020 knowledge from the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration.

The 71 estimated pedestrian fatalities in Massachusetts final yr had been a dramatic enhance from the 55 in 2020 – when individuals drove much less due to COVID shutdowns – however a decline from the 76 the yr earlier than.

“Massachusetts has not skilled the speed of progress in pedestrian fatalities seen in lots of different states. However we’ve got not seen the progress in lowering pedestrian deaths and accidents that’s wanted to create safer streets in our communities,” mentioned Stacey Beuttell, government director of the nonprofit WalkBoston. “The continued progress in car miles traveled mixed with will increase within the dimension and weight of autos have stymied progress.”

The best technique to reverse pedestrian fatalities, Beuttell mentioned, is to revamp streets to “calm” visitors, with raised pedestrian crossings for instance, and to restrict drivers’ capability to hurry by way of residential neighborhoods and native essential streets.

Finally, Adkins mentioned, the pedestrian security disaster may be traced to its root causes, together with dashing and different harmful driving behaviors, insufficient infrastructure and roads designed for car pace as an alternative of security.

The GHSA report explains how a “Protected System” strategy can enhance pedestrian security by making a transportation system that accommodates human errors and retains crash impacts on the human physique at survivable ranges.

It requires infrastructure enhancements, modifications to highway design, equitable visitors legislation enforcement, schooling and public outreach, and emergency response to scale back visitors crashes, accidents and deaths.

The GHSA report additionally examined not too long ago launched 2020 knowledge from NHTSA’s Fatality Evaluation Reporting System to offer insights into when, the place and the way drivers strike and kill pedestrians.

In 2020, for instance, the proportion of pedestrian fatalities involving dashing rose to eight.6%, up from 7.2% the yr earlier than. The common threat of loss of life for pedestrians will increase exponentially the quicker a car is touring, from 10% at 23 mph to 90% at 58 mph.

“States and municipalities have to focus in earnest on investing in sensible interventions to curb harmful driving habits and create protected areas for pedestrians to stroll, like investing in pedestrian infrastructure and visitors calming options,” mentioned Catherine Gleason, program and coverage coordinator of the Cambridge-based LivableStreets Alliance. “Whether or not strolling, rolling, or in a automobile, individuals must be protected from drivers on our streets.”