Pedestrians Make Up Half of All Fatal Crashes in Major U.S. Cities

ByBNW TEAM

Key Findings

  • Seattle, the most dangerous major U.S. city for pedestrians, reports 55.29% of all fatal traffic crashes involving pedestrian deaths, three times the rate of the safest city at 18.40%.
  • California dominates the danger rankings, placing 9 of its cities in the top 20 for pedestrian fatality rates, revealing a concentrated regional crisis.
  • Midwest and Mountain West cities offer the greatest pedestrian safety, with the safest cities recording pedestrian death rates below 21%.

Every year, thousands of pedestrians lose their lives on the streets of America’s largest cities. But their risk is far from equal. In Seattle and San Francisco, pedestrians face the greatest danger in the nation. In Omaha and Colorado Springs, the streets tell a safer story. The difference between life and death often comes down to which city you call home.

The study, conducted by Anidjar & Levine, examined fatal crashes across America’s 50 largest cities from 2019 to 2023. Cities were ranked by the percentage of fatal crashes involving pedestrian deaths, measuring proportional risk to pedestrians relative to all traffic fatalities.

Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians by Proportional Risk

Rank City State % of Fatal Crashes Involving Pedestrians Avg. Annual Pedestrian Deaths
1 Seattle Washington 55.29% 19
2 San Francisco California 53.80% 18
3 New York City New York 51.52% 116
4 Long Beach California 50.51% 20
5 Los Angeles California 49.41% 150
6 Baltimore Maryland 46.73% 20
7 San Diego California 46.57% 46
8 Washington District of Columbia 45.40% 15
9 Fresno California 44.63% 27
10 Sacramento California 44.48% 26

West Coast cities dominate the highest-risk rankings, with 7 of the top 10 located in the region. The top four cities are the only major U.S. cities where pedestrians account for more than half of all traffic deaths.

Expert Commentary

Looking at the study, a spokesperson from Anidjar & Levine commented: 

“These findings underscore a troubling reality for pedestrians in many of America’s largest cities. When more than half of fatal crashes in certain cities involve pedestrians, it signals systemic infrastructure and safety challenges that demand attention from policymakers and urban planners alike.”

California Cities Dominating the Top 20 Rankings

National Rank City State % of Fatal Crashes Involving Pedestrians Avg. Annual Pedestrian Deaths
2 San Francisco California 53.80% 18
4 Long Beach California 50.51% 20
5 Los Angeles California 49.41% 150
7 San Diego California 46.57% 46
9 Fresno California 44.63% 27
10 Sacramento California 44.48% 26
13 San Jose California 42.73% 29
16 Oakland California 41.52% 14
17 Bakersfield California 41.51% 22

California places 9 cities in the top 20, spanning Northern, Central, and Southern regions. This statewide concentration suggests systemic factors, including climate, urban design, and vehicle trends, may contribute to elevated pedestrian risk.

10 U.S. Cities With the Highest Annual Pedestrian Death Tolls

Rank City State Avg. Annual Pedestrian Deaths (2019-2023) % of Fatal Crashes
1 Los Angeles California 150 49.41%
2 New York City New York 116 51.52%
3 Phoenix Arizona 103 40.05%
4 Houston Texas 99 35.20%
5 Dallas Texas 68 34.90%
6 Memphis Tennessee 62 31.86%
7 San Antonio Texas 60 35.70%
8 Chicago Illinois 60 35.12%
9 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 51 40.29%
10 San Diego California 46 46.57%

High overall crash volumes drive raw death counts even in cities with moderate proportional rates. The top-ranked city for raw deaths averages 150 pedestrian fatalities annually, nearly eight times more than the safest city.

Cities With the Largest Increases in Pedestrian Fatalities (2019 vs. 2023)

City State 2019 Deaths 2023 Deaths Change % Change
Fort Worth Texas 20 46 +26 +130%
Philadelphia Pennsylvania 29 61 +32 +110%
Denver Colorado 16 28 +12 +75%
Memphis Tennessee 36 59 +23 +64%
Phoenix Arizona 90 116 +26 +29%
Albuquerque New Mexico 45 55 +10 +22%
San Antonio Texas 63 75 +12 +19%

Two cities experienced pedestrian deaths more than doubling over the five-year period. The steepest increases occurred in Sun Belt and Mid-Atlantic cities, signaling worsening conditions for pedestrians in these regions.

10 Safest Large U.S. Cities for Pedestrians

Rank City State % of Fatal Crashes Involving Pedestrians Avg. Annual Pedestrian Deaths
41 Mesa Arizona 28.85% 15
42 Jacksonville Florida 28.35% 44
43 Indianapolis Indiana 27.60% 33
44 Louisville Kentucky 27.59% 29
45 Milwaukee Wisconsin 25.66% 17
46 Arlington Texas 23.86% 8
47 Virginia Beach Virginia 20.83% 6
48 Kansas City Missouri 20.60% 17
49 Colorado Springs Colorado 19.23% 9
50 Omaha Nebraska 18.40% 6

Midwest and Mountain West cities dominate the safest rankings, with five of the bottom 10 located in these regions. The disparity between the most and least dangerous cities spans a factor of three, demonstrating how dramatically pedestrian risk varies across American metropolitan areas.

Methodology

This analysis utilized data from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), accessed via the CDAN Query Tool, examining fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving at least one pedestrian fatality across the 50 most populous U.S. cities for calendar years 2019 through 2023. For each city, total pedestrian fatalities were summed across all five years and divided by five to calculate the average annual pedestrian deaths, which were then divided by the average annual fatal crashes to determine the percentage of fatal crashes involving pedestrians. Cities were ranked from highest to lowest percentage, with this metric measuring proportional risk to pedestrians relative to all traffic deaths. 

Data Sources

About Anidjar & Levine

Anidjar & Levine is a personal injury law firm with extensive experience representing victims of serious traffic injuries and wrongful death, including pedestrian accidents. The firm is dedicated to protecting clients’ rights and helping them receive full compensation for their injuries.

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