Fatalities From Pedestrian Involved Accidents Soared In 2020

We have already seen data that has shown us that Connecticut auto accidents that resulted in fatalities soared in 2020.  These numbers only looked at accidents that involved cars or trucks, but when looking at pedestrian fatalities, the results look very similar. 

In a recent study by the Governor’s Highway Safety Administration it was found that fatalities from pedestrian accidents rose nearly 20% in 2020 despite lower traffic levels.  In fact, pedestrian fatalities rose in 27 of the 50 states during the time of lockdown.  Seven states represented over half of this increase:

• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• New York
• North Carolina 
• Texas

While Connecticut did not make the list of states that had the highest incidence of pedestrian fatalities, our numbers were not good.  The state saw a 48% increase in pedestrian fatalities despite the lowest traffic volume in decades.  In total the state saw 31 deaths of pedestrians in preliminary data from 2020.  

The increase in fatalities due to Connecticut pedestrian accidents is sharp for our state, but comparatively to the entire nation, the state was about middle of the pack for fatality rate which measures the number of deaths per 100,000 people.  The state of Connecticut had a .87 fatality rate while the highest state in the country, New Mexico, had a rate of 2.12.  

An overwhelming number of fatalities across the board happened at night time.  The study reported that a full 75% of these deaths occured after dark and an additional 20% occurred at dusk or dawn.  

If you have been injured or know someone who has been injured as a result of a pedestrian accident, our office may be able to help.  Contact our office to speak with one of our experienced attorneys who will review your case.