The decades-long neglect of pedestrian safety in the design and use of American streets is
exacting a heavy toll on our lives. In the last decade, from 2000 through 2009, more than 47,700
pedestrians were killed in the United States, the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of passengers
crashing roughly every month. On top of that, more than 688,000 pedestrians were injured over the
decade, a number equivalent to a pedestrian being struck by a car or truck every 7 minutes.
Despite the magnitude of these avoidable tragedies, little public attention – and even less
in public resources – has been committed to reducing pedestrian deaths and injuries in the United
States. On the contrary, transportation agencies typically prioritize speeding traffic over the
safety of people on foot or other vulnerable road users. View Report
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