Pedestrian deaths in the U.S. reached a count not seen in 40 years.
An estimated 7,485 pedestrians were killed in 2021, up 12 percent from the 6,711 deaths reported in 2020, according to a report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit organization that tracks those figures.
A spokesperson for the association cited multiple factors that contribute to pedestrian deaths: dangerous driving, the lack of pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, road designs that prioritize speed, vehicle size and weight, and the weather.
Fatalities increased in all but 13 states, including California, Maryland and Missouri, from 2020 to 2021. According to a GHSA analysis, states in the Southwest and South have the most deaths when adjusted for population.
The increase in pedestrian deaths comes amid a surge in roadway fatalities, which Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called a crisis.
“We face a crisis on America’s roadways that we must address together,” Buttigieg said in a statement this month.
