South Carolina is ranked 6th in the nation for the rate of pedestrian fatalities.
New Mexico had the highest rate (3.55), while Minnesota had the lowest (0.27). Seven states had pedestrian fatality rates per 100,000 population greater than 2.0 – Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico and South Carolina.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) estimates a 10 percent increase in the number of persons on foot killed in traffic crashes in 2015, compared with the prior year.
Richard Retting and Dr. Heather Rothenberg of Sam Schwartz Consulting authored this latest report.
The annual GHSA Spotlight on Highway Safety Report provides the first look at 2015 pedestrian fatality trends, based on preliminary data reported by all 50 state highway safety agencies and the District of Columbia.
Sorted by Fatality Rate Per 100,000 population:
Many factors could be contributing to this spike. An increase in motor vehicle travel, fueled in part by improved economic conditions and lower gas prices, coupled with the growing use of cell phones among walkers and drivers may be partially to blame.
Another factor is the increase in the number of Americans walking for health, economic or environmental reasons. This underscores the need to create safe, walkable pathways and ensure that people who drive and people who walk both understand and follow the rules of the road, so everyone arrives at their destination safely.