SUVs, Pickups, and Passenger Cars Are Behind Three Quarters of All Pedestrian Deaths: New Study Identifies the Vehicles and Days Putting Pedestrians at Greatest Risk
A detailed breakdown of national pedestrian fatality data has identified the specific vehicle types, days of the week, and traffic conditions most closely associated with pedestrian deaths on American roads. The findings, released by Premier Law Group , reveal that the overwhelming majority of pedestrian fatalities involve the most common vehicles on U.S. roads, that risk spikes sharply at the end of the working week, and that the combination of increased traffic volume, reduced visibility, and elevated alcohol consumption during Friday and weekend evenings creates conditions that are consistently and measurably more dangerous for people on foot. In 2023, 7,314 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes , representing 17.9% of all U.S. traffic fatalities. The vehicle type and temporal data behind those deaths point clearly toward where prevention efforts, enforcement resources, and infrastructure investment would have the greatest potential impact. Light Trucks Were Invol...