Chicago Police Brutality Lawyer

The number of pedestrian accidents has reached an all-time high. Drivers are more distracted than ever, vehicles are larger, and many cities have yet to successfully implement a safe system approach to improving pedestrian safety. 

Numerous organizations have conducted studies to learn more about the problem in an attempt to create safer roads and improve pedestrian safety overall.

These pedestrian accident statistics highlight the common causes of pedestrian accidents, including the average number of accidents, what populations are most at risk, and the most common causes of pedestrian-related crashes.

When Do Pedestrian Accidents Occur Most?

Pedestrian accidents are most likely to occur at nighttime, primarily due to the dark driving conditions and minimized visibility. Early evening is the most common time of day for pedestrian accidents and fatalities, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The second most dangerous time of day for pedestrians is from 9 p.m. until midnight [1]. 

The day of the week had less influence on pedestrian fatalities than dark conditions, with Saturday accounting for 17% of pedestrian deaths. Friday and Sunday each reported 15% of pedestrian deaths [1].

Winter seems to be the most dangerous month for pedestrian traffic fatalities. This could be due to it getting darker earlier or from inclement weather reducing driver visibility. Illinois is subject to harsh winters, making intersections less safe for drivers and pedestrians. 11% of pedestrian accidents occurred in October, 10% in November, and 10% in December [1]. 

Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents and fatalities can occur from various causes, with some of the most common including the following:

• Alcohol use: Alcohol use isn’t just dangerous when operating a motor vehicle. It’s also a primary contributing factor in pedestrian fatalities, with 37% of pedestrian deaths occurring after 9 p.m. involving alcohol. The number of accidents involving alcohol use decreased slightly to 23% in 2022 for pedestrian accidents occurring during the day [1]. 
• High speeds: Motor vehicle crashes involving high speeds are much more likely to include pedestrian fatalities. The highest occurrence of pedestrian crashes involving a loss of life included motor vehicle drivers going between 35 and 40 mph. The second highest group of pedestrian deaths occurred at speeds of over 55 m.p.h [1]. High speeds don’t just increase the number of pedestrian accidents but also the severity of sustained injuries [2].
• Unsafe infrastructure: Unsafe roads in busy neighborhoods cause more traffic safety issues, often leading to more pedestrians killed. Many cities also lack pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, like sidewalks and crosswalks.
• Less traffic law enforcement: A reduction in traffic law officers in some regions leads to less enforcement of speed limits and stop signs, both factors that can lead to more fatalities [3].
• Larger vehicles: Larger vehicles can also lead to more pedestrian-related traffic crashes. SUVs do more damage than smaller, safe vehicles because of their larger size [2]. Additionally, cars with larger front ends and profiles are 45% more likely to cause fatalities [4]. The size of U.S. vehicles continues to increase, making the risk higher for pedestrians.
• Dark/nighttime driving: Dark driving conditions tend to cause more pedestrian accidents (34.55% for not-lighted and 39.88% for lighted dark). Only around 18.6% of pedestrian accidents occur during daylight. The data shows less than 7 percent of pedestrian injuries occur during dusk or dawn [5].

Where Do Pedestrian Accidents Occur?

Some roadways and situations also tend to be more dangerous for pedestrians. Urban areas are the most common locations where pedestrians are injured. Most often, busy intersections, freeways, and other major roads are the most common locations of traffic deaths involving pedestrians.

Approximately 85% of all pedestrian deaths occur in urban areas [1]. Additionally, most pedestrians are injured on non-intersection roads (76.03%). Only 23.6% of pedestrians killed occurred at intersections [5].

Bigger cities tend to have the highest number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities. Chicago is the country’s third-most populous city, leading to more traffic and pedestrians. Many Chicagoans walk to and from work, and when combined with higher-than-average road users and speeding rates, there tend to be more accidents [6].

Who Is Most at Risk of Pedestrian Accidents?

According to IIHS data, pedestrian deaths decreased over the last ten years for those between the ages of 13 and 19 years. However, pedestrian deaths have increased in all other age ranges for those ages 20 and older [1].

Males experience a much higher risk of being killed in a pedestrian accident. Approximately 70% of all pedestrian fatalities are males, a statistic that has stayed consistent since the 1970s. 

Non-Hispanic American Indians and Black Americans are at the highest risk of traffic deaths [2]

Pedestrian Fatalities

United States pedestrian deaths have reached a 40-year high, drawing many lawmakers’ attention to the need for improved pedestrian safety [4]. Pedestrian-related deaths dropped from the early 2000s to 2009, when they slowly began to increase again, eventually growing by 83% from 2009 to current [1].

The Governors Highway Safety Association estimates that more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed last year by drivers. They also report a 14% pedestrian fatality increase year over year despite having just a 2% population increase [3]. This occurrence continues to rise. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA reports that a pedestrian is killed approximately every 70 seconds in the United States [7]. The occurrence of pedestrian deaths has increased by 68% since 2011, and pedestrian injuries have increased by 11% [8].

Of course, many of the same unsafe pedestrian conditions also affect cyclists. Cyclist crashes and deaths are also up, further highlighting the importance of improved pedestrian safety policies [8].

Pedestrian Accidents in Illinois

Illinois reports its fair share of pedestrian fatalities and accidents in the United States. In 2022, the state reported 10.1 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population, or 1,268 deaths [9]. Additionally, 15% of all motor vehicle crash deaths in Illinois involved pedestrians [9].

Specific Illinois communities are at a higher risk of traffic incidents involving pedestrians. For example, 37% of all traffic crashes in Illinois occur in Chicago [6]. Communities with more road users tend to have more traffic fatalities, whether that includes drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.

Common Injuries Sustained in Pedestrian Accidents

An estimated 67,000 people were injured in traffic crashes each year [7]. Pedestrian injuries are among the top 10 reasons people visit a hospital emergency room yearly [10]. Common pedestrian injuries include broken bones, soft tissue injuries, back and injury, spinal injuries, and internal conditions.

Speeding through an intersection, reversing from driveways without looking, or driving after dark can all increase the risk of pedestrian injury. Hit-and-run crashes can also lead to severe pedestrian injury. When you’re left with injuries following a pedestrian accident, you need a pedestrian injury lawyer fighting for your legal rights.

The Cost of Pedestrian Accidents

An estimated 104,000 emergency room visits yearly are due to crashes involving pedestrian injuries [2]. Unintentional pedestrian accidents cost the country an average of $10.79 million annually, with an estimated payout of $10.30 billion in medical costs and $10.29 billion in statistical life value per year [11].

Recovering Compensation

Post-crash care is essential for recovery following a traffic or pedestrian crash. A pedestrian accident lawyer can help injured victims seek the compensation they need for recovery through a personal injury lawsuit. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have the knowledge and experience to investigate and build your pedestrian accident case. Whether a driver was speeding or ignored intersection laws, they may be liable for the damages you incur.

To book a free consultation, contact us online or call us at (888) 424-5757.

We also serve clients from Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Schaumburg, Rockford  and throughout Illinois.

Resources: [1] IIHS, [2] CDC, [3] Governors Highway Safety Association, [4] NPR, [5] NSC, [6] SAFE Roads USA, [7] NHTSA, [8] Smart Growth America, [9] IIHS, [10] New York Health, [11] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WISQARS