Pedestrian deaths drop 10%, but still above pre-pandemic level
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square
(The Center Square) — Early data is showing that America’s streets are getting safer for pedestrians, though deaths are still higher than pre-pandemic.
Pennsylvania is doing better than most states, but hasn’t bucked the general trend.
The Governors Highway Safety Association projects that 76 Pennsylvanians died walking from January-June 2023, 9 fewer compared to 2022.
Nationally, GHSA projected 3,373 pedestrian deaths, a 4% drop from 2022. But fatalities have seen an outsized growth in recent years. Since 2019, the population has only grown by 2%, but pedestrian deaths went up 14%.
(The Center Square) — Early data is showing that America’s streets are getting safer for pedestrians, though deaths are still higher than pre-pandemic.
Pennsylvania is doing better than most states, but hasn’t bucked the general trend.
The Governors Highway Safety Association projects that 76 Pennsylvanians died walking from January-June 2023, 9 fewer compared to 2022.
Nationally, GHSA projected 3,373 pedestrian deaths, a 4% drop from 2022. But fatalities have seen an outsized growth in recent years. Since 2019, the population has only grown by 2%, but pedestrian deaths went up 14%.
Allentown recorded its first pedestrian deaths of 2024 in May when a driver struck an elderly couple as they took an evening walk. Last year, the city recorded five pedestrian deaths and a dozen serious injuries from drivers.f
