In the first half of 2023, drivers in the United States struck and killed 3,373 pedestrians, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). While this number is down 4% from the previous year, it is still a 14% increase from 2019. The number of pedestrian deaths in the U.S. peaked in 2022, with 7,500 fatalities. Pedestrian deaths trended steadily upward over the last decade. In 2013, there were 2,141 pedestrian traffic fatalities. In 2019, these deaths hit 2,951 and held steady through the pandemic in 2020 before climbing to 3,315 in 2021. "After witnessing pedestrian deaths rise each year, it's encouraging to finally see a small decrease," GHSA Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Adkins said in a release. "But the fact remains that 18 people go for a walk every day and don't return home due to preventable crashes. The only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero. We must seize on this recent momentum and continue to push for a safer system that protects people on foot from the dangerous driving behaviors that are all too prevalent." The slight downward trend in pedestrian deaths reflects an overall decrease in traffic fatalities, though those also remain above pre-pandemic levels with 19,515 roadway deaths in the first half of 2023 compared to 17,025 during the same period in 2019. The slideshow above illustrates the ten states with the highest rates of pedestrian deaths, according to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) data from 2017 to 2021.

Related:

• Fatal traffic accidents in U.S. continue to decline
• The insurance implications of Baltimore's Key Bridge accident
• These 10 cities have the safest drivers