Pedestrian Deaths Surge as New Study Shows Congestion Isn’t Protecting Walkers in U.S. Cities
A new nationwide analysis from Chaikin Trial Group is challenging the widespread belief that traffic congestion makes cities safer for pedestrians. The firm’s latest research finds that while Americans in some cities lose up to 117 hours a year sitting in traffic, pedestrian fatalities are still rising sharply — and in many of the least congested metros, people on foot are at the greatest risk.
The findings come at a critical time. Across the U.S., pedestrian deaths have climbed dramatically in the past decade. Between 2013 and 2022, overall traffic deaths increased by 22.5 percent — but pedestrian fatalities rose by 50 percent, bucking trends seen in most other high-income nations, many of which recorded steep declines over the same period. In 2024 alone, the U.S. recorded 7,148 pedestrian deaths, one of the highest totals in modern history.
Congestion Isn’t a Shield — In Some Cities, It’s the Opposite
To understand how traffic volume relates to pedestrian risk, researchers developed a Pedestrian Danger-Per-Congestion Index, comparing pedestrian fatality rates against annual hours lost to traffic.
The results reveal a stark and often counterintuitive divide.
Cities with heavy congestion but strong pedestrian infrastructure, such as Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., ranked among the safest places in the analysis.
- Washington, D.C. drivers lost 117 hours to traffic
- New York commuters lost 102 hours
- Boston drivers sat in traffic 79 hours
Yet each of these metros produced relatively low danger-index scores thanks to traffic-calming design, walkable street layouts, frequent crosswalks, and transit-oriented infrastructure.
Boston recorded one of the lowest danger levels in the dataset with an index of 0.012, while New York registered 0.015, showing that gridlock alone does not equate to deadly walking environments.
The Real Risk Lies in Faster Roads — Especially in the South
At the other end of the spectrum, cities with far less congestion are seeing far more pedestrians die.
The study identifies Tampa, Phoenix, Austin, San Antonio, and New Orleans as some of the most dangerous metros in the nation for walkers — despite all reporting fewer than 40 hours of congestion annually.
- Tampa lost just 28 hours to traffic but recorded the highest danger index in the nation at 0.100
- New Orleans posted an index of 0.081 with only 37 hours of congestion
- Phoenix recorded 36 hours of congestion but still produced an index of 0.077
- Austin and San Antonio each posted danger indexes of 0.067
In these cities, relatively open roads mean higher driving speeds. Combined with long arterial corridors, wide intersections, poor illumination, and limited protected pedestrian crossings, the fatality risk rises sharply.
Regional patterns also emerged. Southern metros dominate the risk rankings, with Florida and Texas alone accounting for six of the most hazardous cities. Eight of the ten most dangerous metros identified in the study are in the South, where walkability remains secondary to roadway speed and vehicle throughput.
Why People Are Dying — and What the Data Shows
According to the analysis, more than half of U.S. pedestrian deaths in 2023 resulted from drivers failing to yield to pedestrians. Other leading causes include:
- Improper roadway crossings
- Poor nighttime visibility due to inadequate lighting
- Sudden pedestrian entry into traffic lanes
- High-speed corridors with little protection
Crucially, the findings underscore that congestion is not a safety tool. While heavy traffic naturally slows vehicles, slowing cars isn’t enough — safe systems require intentional design.
Northeastern Cities Show What Works
Older Northeastern metros such as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York benefit from:
- Shorter block distances
- Lower roadway widths
- Dense urban Core layouts
- Established transit systems
- Slower baseline traffic speeds
In these environments, even when congestion is severe, crashes are less likely to happen at lethal speeds.
A Call for Infrastructure Reform
The Chaikin Trial Group study makes clear that policy, engineering, and enforcement decisions determine pedestrian safety — not traffic volume alone.
Cities seeking meaningful reductions in deaths will require:
- More protected crossings
- Better nighttime street lighting
- Traffic-calming infrastructure
- Lower speed limits on high-risk corridors
- Stronger enforcement of yield laws
- Investment in walkable urban design
Without those measures, researchers warn that fatalities are likely to continue climbing — particularly in fast-growing Sun Belt metros where population, highway expansion, and vehicle speeds are all accelerating.
Why It Matters Now
Pedestrian deaths in the U.S. are rising faster than overall traffic fatalities, widening the safety gap and putting vulnerable communities at risk. With thousands of deaths annually and disproportionately high danger in Southern cities, advocates argue the findings should be a wake-up call for transportation planners, lawmakers, and city leaders.
The Chaikin Trial Group notes that the data sends a clear message: safety does not happen by accident. It is engineered — or neglected — into the places people live.
As fatalities continue to rise, the study reinforces what experts have warned for years: if U.S. cities want safer streets, they cannot rely on congestion to slow cars. They must design roads that protect the people using them.
