How Many Pedestrians Die on US Roads Each Year?

Quick answer: In 2024, 7,080 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, a 3.9% decrease from 7,367 in 2023. That is roughly 19 pedestrians a day, or one death every 74 minutes. Pedestrians made up 18% of all US traffic deaths in 2024.

The headline numbers for 2024

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded 7,080 pedestrian deaths in 2024, down from 7,367 in 2023. Total traffic deaths fell to 39,254 in the same year, so pedestrians still accounted for almost one in five of all people killed on US roads. An estimated 71,635 pedestrians were injured, up 5.0% from 68,241 in 2023. On average, a pedestrian was injured every 7 minutes.

The fall in deaths is welcome, but it does not undo a decade of growth. Pedestrian deaths in 2024 were still almost 29% higher than in 2015, when 5,494 pedestrians were killed. The injured total also rose in 2024 even as deaths fell, a reminder that fewer deaths does not mean fewer crashes.

A decade of rising deaths

Pedestrian deaths climbed through most of the last ten years, peaking in 2022:

• 2015: 5,494 pedestrians killed, 15% of all traffic deaths
• 2019: 6,272 pedestrians killed, 17% of all traffic deaths
• 2021: 7,470 pedestrians killed, 17% of all traffic deaths
• 2022: 7,593 pedestrians killed, 18% of all traffic deaths
• 2023: 7,367 pedestrians killed, 18% of all traffic deaths
• 2024: 7,080 pedestrians killed, 18% of all traffic deaths

The pattern is clear: pedestrian deaths rose much faster than overall traffic deaths, then eased slightly in 2023 and 2024. The share of all traffic deaths that are pedestrians has held at 18% for three years running. Walking has become more dangerous relative to other ways of travelling, and the improvement since 2022 has been modest so far.

When and where fatal crashes happen

Most fatal pedestrian crashes happen after dark and away from junctions. In 2024, 76% of pedestrian deaths occurred in the dark, compared with 20% in daylight, 2% at dusk and 2% at dawn. The deadliest hours were 6 to 8:59 p.m., when 24% of deaths occurred, followed by 9 to 11:59 p.m. with 23%. The quietest period was 9 to 11:59 a.m., with just 4% of deaths.

Other features of fatal pedestrian crashes in 2024:

• 84% of pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas, and 16% in rural areas
• 73% happened at locations that were not intersections, against 18% at intersections
• 90% occurred in single-vehicle crashes
• 24% of pedestrians killed were struck by hit-and-run drivers
• Alcohol involvement (a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 or higher for the driver, the pedestrian, or both) was reported in 43% of fatal pedestrian crashes

Darkness, speed and alcohol recur in the data year after year. Better lighting, lower speeds on streets where people walk, and separating foot traffic from fast-moving vehicles are among the measures road safety agencies point to most often.

Who is most at risk

Men are heavily over-represented among pedestrian deaths. In 2024, 69% of pedestrians killed were male (4,902 of 7,080). The male pedestrian death rate was 2.91 per 100,000 people, more than twice the female rate of 1.24. The age group with the highest number of pedestrian deaths was 40 to 44, with 699 deaths, followed by 35 to 39 with 692.

Children and older people face particular risks:

• 17% of children aged 14 and younger killed in traffic crashes in 2024 were pedestrians
• 19% of people aged 65 and older killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians (1,535 of 8,019)
• The average age of a pedestrian killed was 48, compared with 44 for vehicle occupants killed

Older pedestrians are especially vulnerable because the same impact is more likely to be fatal. For children, the risk reflects smaller size, less developed hazard perception, and exposure around schools and homes. Both groups benefit most from slower traffic, shorter crossings and junctions designed for people on foot.

How states and cities compare

Pedestrian deaths are not spread evenly across the country. In 2024, the highest counts were in California (1,090), Texas (763) and Florida (668), the three most populous states. The highest death rates per 100,000 people were in New Mexico (4.22), Mississippi (3.53) and Louisiana (3.46), against a national rate of 2.08. The District of Columbia had the highest pedestrian share of its traffic deaths at 38.3%, while Wyoming had the lowest count, with 4 pedestrian deaths.

Among large cities, Los Angeles (156), Houston (116) and New York City (102) recorded the most pedestrian deaths. The highest city pedestrian death rate was in Albuquerque, New Mexico (8.21 per 100,000), while New York City had the lowest among the largest cities at 1.20. City-level differences reflect a mix of walking levels, road design, speeds and enforcement, so rates are best read alongside local exposure rather than on their own.

For context on how the US compares with Britain overall, see US vs UK Roads: Why Americans Die at 4x the Rate, and browse UK figures on our UK road accidents page or the Live Accident Tracker homepage.

How these numbers were counted

These figures come from NHTSA's Traffic Safety Facts fact sheet "Pedestrians: 2024 Data". Fatality counts are actual counts from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Injury figures are estimates from the Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS), because injuries are sampled rather than counted in full. The 2024 figures use the 2024 Annual Report File (ARF), while 2015 to 2023 figures use the Final File, so the 2024 numbers may be revised slightly when the final file is released.

NHTSA defines a pedestrian as any person on foot, including people walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting or lying down. People on skateboards, scooters, roller skates, strollers and similar devices are excluded. Crashes on private property not regularly used by the public, such as parts of parking lots and driveways, are also excluded.