New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found “underlying factors” related to pedestrian deaths.

The number of pedestrians killed has risen by over 80% in the past 15 years after reaching a historic low in 2009.

According to the organization, almost the entire increase in pedestrian deaths has occurred on urban arterial roads and after dark.

“The continued rise in pedestrian fatalities in the US since 2010 is a traffic safety challenge we need to address,” said Dr David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“This study not only identified common underlying factors related to pedestrian deaths but opportunities where stakeholders can collaborate to make improvements in their communities.”

AAA Foundation collaborated with researchers from the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety to focus on the cities of Albuquerque, NM, Charlotte, NC, and Memphis, TN, and found:

  • Most pedestrian fatalities occurred well outside of downtown: more than half happened more than four miles from the city center.
  • Most of the pedestrian fatalities occurred on arterial roads, and about half occurred in darkness.
  • Injuries and deaths occurred disproportionately in socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and areas with older housing.
  • Cities face challenges in improving pedestrian safety, including high costs for infrastructure upgrades, barriers to implementing changes on state-controlled roads, and public resistance to change.

To enhance pedestrian safety and reduce fatalities, the AAA has suggested:

  • Investing in the areas and solutions that will make the biggest impact. Targeting unsafe locations outside downtown areas, often in socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
  • State and local governments work more closely to invest resources to save lives where needed most, regardless of who owns that roadway.
  • A Safe System approach which anticipates human mistakes and reduces crash severity by addressing safety holistically through safer roads, vehicles, speeds, and road users.