New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that the 80% increase in pedestrian fatalities over the last 15 years has occurred on urban arterial roads at night.

“The continued rise in pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. since 2010 is a traffic safety challenge we need to address,” said David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in a press release. “This study not only identified common underlying factors related to pedestrian deaths but opportunities where stakeholders can collaborate to make improvements in their communities. We need to work together to create safer transportation systems for pedestrians and other road users.”

AAA Foundation collaborated with researchers from the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety to study the issue by performing case studies in three cities with varying levels and trends in pedestrian fatalities.

The researchers found that a disproportionate number of pedestrian deaths occurred in socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods because many residents depend heavily on walking, especially to reach public transportation, the release says.

“Cities continue to grapple with several challenges when it comes to implementing the necessary infrastructure upgrades needed to make roads safer in these communities,” the release states. “AAA urges city planners, public health professionals, legislators, and traffic safety practitioners to work together to reverse these deadly trends.”

The researchers concluded there are several interconnected factors including a lack of safe crossing locations, high pedestrian crossing volumes, poorly lit roads without continuous sidewalks, and questions over road ownership (state versus local), and policy challenges.

For the case studies, the research team examined the cities of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee.

They found:

• • Over half of the pedestrian fatalities occurred more than 4 miles from the centers of the cities.
  • Most pedestrian fatalities occurred on arterial roads, and about half occurred at night.
  • Cities face challenges in improving pedestrian safety, including high costs for infrastructure upgrades, barriers to implementing changes on state-controlled roads, and public resistance to change.

“Reducing the spike in pedestrian deaths requires data-driven investments where they matter most,” said Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy, in the release. “If safety is truly a top priority for decision-makers, we should expect greater investments in historically underinvested communities where a disproportionate number of pedestrians are hit and killed.”

To enhance pedestrian safety and reduce fatalities, AAA suggests:

• • Follow the Data: Let the data be the guide — investing in the areas and solutions that will make the biggest impact. That means targeting unsafe locations outside downtown areas, often in socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
  • Coordinate for Impact: State and local governments can work more closely to invest resources to save lives where needed most, regardless of who owns that roadway.
  • Demand a Safer System: A Safe System approach anticipates human mistakes and reduces crash severity by addressing safety holistically through safer roads, vehicles, speeds, and road users.”

Drivers are responsible for yielding to pedestrians, but those traveling on foot should also be vigilant,” AAA says. “Pedestrians should use caution by staying on sidewalks and using crosswalks as often as possible. Always obey traffic signals, look both ways before crossing the street, and do not walk and text.”

A new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, FMVSS 127, effective March 20, requires automatic emergency braking (AEB) and pedestrian AEB to come standard by September 2029 on all passenger cars and light trucks weighing up to 10,000 pounds.

By then, AEB must stop and avoid rear-end crashes at up to 62 miles per hour and detect pedestrians in daylight and at night.

The standard will require AEB to engage at up to 90 mph when a collision with a lead vehicle is imminent, and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian is detected.

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