AARP Hearing Center
Pedestrian deaths have been on the rise, increasing by 72 percent between 2010 and 2021. Among the 42,939 people killed in traffic crashes in 2021, 7,388 (17 percent) were pedestrians. And pedestrians 65 and older face a higher risk of death from traffic crashes.
This report reviews data from the AARP Livability Index™ platform, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and walkability data from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Walkability Index. It concludes that highly walkable cities and towns have lower rates of fatal vehicle crashes, and that “Complete Streets” policies may reduce pedestrian fatalities, particularly among older adults.
Older Pedestrians
Walking is critically important for older adults to stay physically active, maintain social relationships, and effectively age in place within their communities. But road traffic poses a major obstacle to walking safely in US neighborhoods. Among older adults, pedestrian fatalities may be linked to the effects of aging on the body, which can increase the risk of serious injury or death for those involved in a crash, compared with the risk for younger people. For some, declining cognitive and motor skills, a need for additional time to cross the street, or the use of assistive devices such as canes, walkers, or wheelchairs may also increase the likelihood of older pedestrians being involved in a fatal crash.
Neighborhood Walkability
Identifying the causes of pedestrian fatalities is complex, but key factors include vehicle speed and street and sidewalk design, particularly at intersections. The National Walkability Index measures relative walkability (meaning easy to walk around) in neighborhoods based on the probability of people walking as a mode of transportation. Areas with high Walkability Index scores typically have narrower streets, shorter crosswalks, and slower vehicle speeds.
Highly walkable places also have lower overall traffic fatality rates. However, because walkable neighborhoods also invite more foot traffic, older adults living in more walkable neighborhoods are more likely to engage in “active” travel, such as walking or biking. And in fact, fatality rates involving older pedestrians were higher in the most walkable places (3.9 fatal crashes per 100,000 population) than in less walkable communities (0.8 to 1.8 fatal crashes per 100,000 population).
Complete Streets Policies
The National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, was launched in 2004 to advance policies and practices to integrate people and place in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of transportation networks. Complete Streets require transportation design that accommodates walking, bicycling, driving, and transit for users of all ages, abilities, and incomes. Cities and towns without Complete Streets policies in 2021 had higher overall crash fatality rates (6.4 fatal crashes per 100,000 people) than those with policies in place for more than a decade (5.4 fatal crashes per 100,000 people).
Although pedestrian fatality rates have been on the rise across the board, early adopters of Complete Streets policies (defined as adopting policies between 2006 and 2010) had a slower increase in overall fatality rates for pedestrians between 2010 and 2021 (16 percent increase) than did communities with recent or no policies (42 percent and 43 percent increase, respectively). Moreover, these early adopter communities were the only places to register a decrease in the rate of fatal crashes involving pedestrians 65 and older between 2010 and 2021 (a 12 percent improvement).
Conclusion
Policy initiatives that directly address the needs of older adults can help keep all pedestrians safe. Making changes to street design, such as implementing Complete Streets policies, is one way to improve neighborhood walkability, reduce crashes involving pedestrians, and save lives.
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