Traffic deaths decline but pedestrian fatalities remain steady

While the number vehicle-accident deaths declined by more than 21 percent from 2003 to 2012, the number of pedestrian fatalities has remained virtually unchanged.

In 2012 alone, 4,743 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and tens of thousands more were injured. That’s one pedestrian’s life lost every two hours and one injured every seven minutes.

There were 26 pedestrian fatalities in Kansas in 2012-- accounting for about six percent of all traffic fatalities-- which is less than half of the national average of 14 percent.   Pedestrian fatalities were highest in California (612), followed by Texas (478) and Florida (476). 

 

The U.S. DOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have launched the "Everyone is a Pedestrian" initiative to help raise awareness of the dangers to pedestrians, and to provide leadership, expertise, and resources to communities across America to combat these crashes.  Click here to learn more about how you can improve pedestrian safety.