Dangerous by Design 2026: Understanding America's pedestrian safety crisis

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Dangerous by Design 2026: Understanding America's pedestrian safety crisis

By Eric Cova, June 30, 2026

Smart Growth America’s 2026 edition of Dangerous by Design documents the ongoing pedestrian fatality crisis, which claimed more than 7,000 lives in 2024, one of the highest numbers on record in the U.S. This session on Tuesday, June 23, provided a deeper discussion of the report's main findings and data analysis, as well as its updated comparisons across states, metro areas, and peer countries.

Smart Growth America's Beth Osborne and Heidi Simon were joined by Families for Safe Streets advocate Joe Martinez and Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers, who brought insight into the front lines of the crisis at the local level.

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