The number of pedestrian deaths taking place across Minnesota and the rest of the U.S. reached a new high in 2021. According to data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the total number of deaths increased in 2021. This has experts all over the nation worried.
Pedestrian deaths rose at an alarming rate
The GHSA has reported that pedestrian accidents continued to rise throughout the first half of 2021. States with large populations, such as Florida and Texas, bore the brunt of the increase in accidents. However, even smaller states reflected a similar trend upward.
The year 2011 saw a total of 4,457 pedestrians struck and killed by drivers. The years leading up to 2020 saw a 46% percent increase up to 6,515. This represented 17% of all recorded traffic fatalities for the year. However, since then, the number has increased by another 17% with 3,400 dead in the first half of 2021.
Lack of safety practices caused many tragedies
The number of pedestrian deaths recorded in 2021 represents a sharp increase over the total in 2020. This was a year that saw a major upward spike in the number of deaths. As a result, safety experts are trying to find reasons that account for this tragic trend. Many blame the resurgence of vehicles on national roads after the end of the recent lockdown.
The number of crashes that involved people not wearing their seatbelts was at an all-time high throughout 2021. There were also plenty of incidents involving people engaging in such unsafe practices as speeding, tailgating, and running through red lights. The consequences for pedestrians were all too often fatal.