Independent ratings · Not affiliated with any law firm · Every ranking is earned

Pedestrian Accident Statistics (2026)

By the FindMyAccidentLawyer Data Team · Updated October 19, 2026 · 41 sourced statistics · CSV · JSON · Cite this page

Pedestrian deaths in U.S. traffic crashes totaled 7,080 in 2024, according to NHTSA. That was a 3.9 percent drop from 7,367 in 2023. Pedestrians made up 18 percent of all traffic deaths in 2024. NHTSA also estimates 71,635 pedestrians were injured that year.

The numbers at a glance

  • 7,0807,080 pedestrians were killed in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024, a 3.9 percent decrease from 7,367 in 2023. Source
  • 71,635An estimated 71,635 pedestrians were injured in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024. Source
  • 18%Pedestrians made up 18 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths in 2024. Source
  • 74In 2024 a pedestrian was killed in a U.S. traffic crash every 74 minutes on average and injured every 7 minutes. Source
  • 76%Seventy-six percent of pedestrian deaths in 2024 occurred in the dark, versus 20 percent in daylight. Source
  • 84%Eighty-four percent of pedestrian deaths in 2024 occurred in urban areas and 16 percent in rural areas. Source
  • 4.22New Mexico had the highest pedestrian fatality rate of any state in 2024 at 4.22 per 100,000 population, versus 2.08 nationally. Source
  • 1,1031,103 pedalcyclists were killed in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024, accounting for 2.8 percent of all traffic fatalities. Source

How many pedestrians are killed in the U.S.?

NHTSA counts deaths from its FARS file and estimates injuries from a crash sample called CRSS. The 2024 numbers below set the baseline for everything else on this page. For all road users combined, see the national car accident statistics.

Are pedestrian deaths rising or falling?

Deaths dipped in 2024, but the longer trend still points up. Each source below starts from a different year, so the percentages do not match.

Who is most likely to die as a pedestrian?

Men, older adults and people in their early forties show up most in the 2024 records. Counts and rates tell slightly different stories, so both appear here.

When do most pedestrian deaths happen?

Most deaths came after dark in NHTSA's 2024 data, and evening hours carry the largest share.

Where do pedestrian crashes turn deadly?

Most deaths happen in cities, away from intersections, and in crashes with one vehicle. GHSA adds a look at sidewalks. For totals by state, see the state rankings.

What role do alcohol, hit-and-run and vehicle type play?

NHTSA and GHSA report these factors on different bases, so read each percentage against its own denominator. Impairment across all crash types is covered in our drunk driving statistics.

Which states and cities have the highest pedestrian death rates?

Rankings shift with the measure and the years. NHTSA publishes single-year 2024 rates, GHSA projects 2025, and Smart Growth America averages 2020 to 2024. New Mexico leads in all three.

How many bicyclists are killed in traffic crashes?

NHTSA and IIHS count bicyclist deaths a little differently, and both figures appear below. Riders on motorized two-wheelers are covered in our motorcycle accident statistics.

Which states have the most pedestrian deaths?

The 15 states with the most pedestrian deaths in 2024, with the rate per 100,000 residents. All 50 states and D.C. are on the state-by-state page.

pedestrian deaths by state, 2024
#State2024 countPer 100,000 people
1California1,0902.76
2Texas7632.44
3Florida6682.86
4New York2891.45
5Georgia2862.56
6North Carolina2642.39
7Arizona2503.30
8Illinois2131.68
9New Jersey2102.21
10Pennsylvania1731.32
11Louisiana1593.46
12Tennessee1582.19
13South Carolina1562.85
14Maryland1522.43
15Washington1521.91

Source: FindMyAccidentLawyer analysis of the NHTSA FARS 2024 data file (Annual Report File) and U.S. Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.

Frequently asked questions

How many pedestrians were killed in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024?

NHTSA counts 7,080 pedestrian deaths in 2024. That is down 3.9 percent from 7,367 in 2023. Pedestrians made up 18 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths that year.

How often is a pedestrian killed or injured in a crash?

NHTSA says a pedestrian was killed every 74 minutes on average in 2024 and injured every 7 minutes. That averages out to 19 pedestrian deaths per day.

How many pedestrians are injured in traffic crashes?

NHTSA estimates 71,635 pedestrians were injured in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024. The number is an estimate from its CRSS crash sample, not a full count.

Are pedestrian deaths going up?

NHTSA reports deaths rose from 5,494 in 2015 to 7,080 in 2024, with a high of 7,593 in 2022. IIHS says 2024 deaths were 72 percent higher than the 2009 low. GHSA projects 6,732 deaths in 2025, down 7 percent from 2024, based on preliminary state data.

What is the pedestrian fatality rate in the U.S.?

NHTSA puts the 2024 rate at 2.08 deaths per 100,000 population. The male rate was 2.91, which is 2.3 times the female rate of 1.24.

Who is most likely to be killed as a pedestrian?

According to NHTSA, 69 percent of pedestrians killed in 2024 were male (4,902 of 7,080). The 40-to-44 age group had the most deaths at 699. The average age of those killed was 48.

How many older adults and children die as pedestrians?

NHTSA reports pedestrians were 19 percent of all traffic deaths among people 65 and older in 2024 (1,535 of 8,019). Among children 14 and younger, pedestrians were 17 percent of deaths, or 172 children.

What time of day are pedestrians most at risk?

NHTSA says 76 percent of pedestrian deaths in 2024 happened in the dark, versus 20 percent in daylight. The 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. window had the highest share at 24 percent. The 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. window followed at 23 percent.

Do most pedestrian deaths happen at crosswalks and intersections?

No. NHTSA reports 73 percent of 2024 pedestrian deaths occurred at locations that were not intersections. About 84 percent happened in urban areas and 16 percent in rural areas. GHSA found 62.2 percent happened where there was no sidewalk.

How many fatal pedestrian crashes involve alcohol?

NHTSA reports alcohol involvement (BAC of .01 or higher) by the driver, the pedestrian or both in 43 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes in 2024. The pedestrian had a BAC of .08 or higher in 27 percent, and the driver did in 15 percent.

How many pedestrians are killed by hit-and-run drivers?

NHTSA reports 24 percent of pedestrians killed in 2024 were struck by hit-and-run drivers. Its separate Overview report counts 1,749 of 7,080 deaths, or 25 percent. The two publications round or count slightly differently.

What kinds of vehicles hit pedestrians?

GHSA found light trucks (SUVs, pickups and vans) struck 50.4 percent of pedestrians killed in 2024 where the vehicle type was known. Passenger cars struck 40.6 percent and large trucks 7.5 percent. NHTSA adds that 90 percent of pedestrian deaths came in single-vehicle crashes.

Which state has the highest pedestrian death rate?

New Mexico, on every measure here. NHTSA's 2024 rate is 4.22 per 100,000 population, versus 2.08 nationally. Smart Growth America's 2020 to 2024 average is 4.42, ahead of Louisiana at 3.53 and Arizona at 3.49. The two rates use different periods.

Which cities and metro areas are most dangerous for walking?

In NHTSA's city table, Albuquerque had the highest 2024 rate at 8.21 per 100,000. Los Angeles had the most deaths at 156, followed by Houston at 116 and New York City at 102. Smart Growth America ranks Memphis first among metro areas at 5.5 deaths per 100,000 residents per year.

How many bicyclists die in traffic crashes?

NHTSA counts 1,103 pedalcyclist deaths in 2024, which is 2.8 percent of all traffic deaths. IIHS counts 1,075 because it excludes riders of motorized bicycles. IIHS says 68 percent of the bicyclists killed were not wearing helmets.

Can I use these statistics?

Yes. The statistics are free to use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license (CC BY 4.0). Credit FindMyAccidentLawyer and link back to this page. Each fact card also names the original publisher, so you can cite the source directly.

Cite or link to this page

Free to use under CC BY 4.0. Please credit FindMyAccidentLawyer with a link. Updated October 19, 2026.

FindMyAccidentLawyer. (2026, October 19). Pedestrian Accident Statistics (2026). https://findmyaccidentlawyer.com/data/car-accident-statistics/pedestrian-accidents

Methodology and sources

Most figures cover calendar year 2024 and come from NHTSA, using its FARS 2024 Annual Report File for deaths and CRSS for injury estimates. IIHS also uses FARS but excludes riders of motorized bicycles, so its bicyclist count differs from NHTSA's. GHSA's 2025 number is a projection from preliminary state data. Smart Growth America ranks places by an average over 2020 to 2024, so those rates are not directly comparable with single-year rates.

Every number on this page links to the official report it came from. We checked each figure against the source text before publishing, and we recheck the sources every month. The page date changes only when a number changes. Spotted an error? Email profile@findmyaccidentlawyer.com.

More car accident statistics

Car accident lawyers by state

Hurt in a crash?

Tell us what happened. An accident specialist will contact you and connect you with an attorney who handles cases like yours. Free, no obligation.

Get matched with a top accident lawyer

An accident specialist will contact you and connect you with an attorney who handles cases like yours. Free. No obligation.

Type of accident

Step 1 of 3