Are pedestrians at risk from speeding vehicles on city streets and suburban roads?
Yes. The second largest category of motor vehicle deaths, after occupants, is pedestrians, and 69 percent of pedestrian deaths occur in urban areas. The speed of vehicles involved in pedestrian impacts is a major determinant of the severity and outcome of injury. There is a much higher ratio of deaths to injuries where speed limits are higher – nine times as high where the speed limit is 55 mph as on roads where it is 30 mph or lower. A federal study of pedestrian crashes found a positive correlation between speed and injury severity. In addition, vehicle speed influences the likelihood that a pedestrian will be struck in the first place because a driver cannot stop quickly enough. One study found that, even in residential zones, almost 20 percent of vehicles were traveling at more than 30 mph when they struck pedestrians. Some cities are using new approaches to slowing urban traffic to reduce pedestrian crashes, especially in school and work zones.
