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In 2024, 7,080 people were struck and killed while walking, a figure that remains near historic highs. While transportation officials have pointed to recent improvements as evidence that roads are becoming safer, pedestrian deaths have increased by 72 percent since 2009 and remain dramatically higher than they were just fifteen years ago.

Dangerous by Design 2026 ranks the deadliest states and metro areas for people walking, examines disparities by race, age, and income, compares U.S. performance with peer nations, and explores the proven street design changes that can save lives.

As in previous years, we found that not everyone faces the same level of risk. American Indian and Alaska Native populations experience pedestrian fatality rates 3.7 times the national average, Black Americans are killed at 1.7 times the national average, and people living in lower-income communities continue to face disproportionately high rates of death while walking. Many of the nation's deadliest states and metro areas are becoming even more dangerous, demonstrating that progress cannot be measured by rankings alone. Our streets remain dangerous by design, prioritizing vehicle speed over human safety and producing outcomes that are both predictable and preventable