Pedestrian Deaths Are Rising Again

After decades of decline, in recent years, pedestrian traffic deaths have been on the rise. In fact, since hitting a low point in 2009, pedestrian traffic deaths have increased by nearly 60% and account for 17% of all traffic deaths nationwide annually. While pedestrian traffic deaths remain 13% lower than they were in 1975, when the decline in fatalities began, they are up 59% from the lowest level seen in 2009. That steady and significant increase has hit pedestrians in every age group. In addition to fatalities, tens of thousands of pedestrians are injured in traffic accidents each year.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a pedestrian by a vehicle – or if a loved one has been killed as a pedestrian in a traffic accident – talk to the California personal injury attorneys of Maire & Deedon. We are here to help you.

Thousands Of Pedestrians Die In Traffic Accidents Each Year

Over 6,500 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in 2020. The year 2020 was the last year that the statistics on these incidents were available.

For 2021, it is estimated that nearly 7,500 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents. However, that is not the end of the story. Those numbers do not include pedestrians killed in what is known as “non-traffic” accidents. These deaths occur not on public roadways but in places off the public roads, such as parking lots, driveways, and basically any place cars go that is not a public road. With those pedestrian fatalities included, there were more than 7,900 pedestrian deaths in 2020 from traffic and non-traffic causes combined. Even that number fails to fully reflect the impact of the impact of vehicular traffic on pedestrians.

While the pedestrian death totals – traffic or non-traffic, a distinction that means nothing to a person killed by a motor vehicle, regardless of location – are bad enough, tens of thousands more pedestrians are injured yearly. In 2020, an estimated 55,000 pedestrians suffered injuries as a result of traffic accidents. Because all motor vehicles have a substantial physical advantage over any pedestrian, many of those injuries suffered by pedestrians were severe. The most serious injuries occur when pedestrians strike bumpers, hoods, or windshields, all of which are common in pedestrian traffic accidents.

California, the most populous state in the nation, naturally has more pedestrian fatalities than any other state. However, it does not have the highest rate per 100,00 residents than any other state. Still, 460 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in California in 2020, and an estimated 470 died in 2021.

If You Or A Family Member Was A Pedestrian Injured Or Killed In A Traffic Accident, Call Maire & Deedon

Pedestrian injuries and deaths in traffic accidents happen, and if such a fate has befallen you or a loved one, you should explore whether you have options for compensation. To find out whether you are entitled to damages, you should talk to the Redding, CA, personal injury attorneys of Maire & Deedon. We have experience with such situations and can help you determine what your best options are and help you recover all of the compensation you deserve.