Pedestrian and Overall Road Traffic Crash Deaths - United States and 27 Other High-Income Countries, 2013-2022

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2025 Mar 13;74(8):134-139. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7408a2.

Abstract

Road traffic deaths are preventable but remain a major public health problem. Crashes cause more than 40,000 deaths annually in the United States, and traffic-related pedestrian deaths have increased rapidly. To examine change in pedestrian and overall traffic death rates (deaths per 100,000 population) within an international context, CDC analyzed 2013-2022 data from the United States and 27 other high-income countries in the International Road Traffic and Accident Database, as well as early 2023 U.S. estimates. Between 2013 and 2022, U.S. pedestrian death rates increased 50% (from 1.55 to 2.33 per 100,000 population), while other countries generally experienced decreases (median decrease = 24.7%). During this period, overall U.S. traffic death rates increased 22.5% (from 10.41 to 12.76), but decreased by a median of 19.4% in 27 other high-income countries. Among all countries examined, the United States had the highest pedestrian death rates overall and among persons aged 15-24 and 25-64 years. Projected 2023 U.S. estimates suggest a potential decline in pedestrian (2%) and overall traffic (4%) deaths, compared with those in 2022. Accelerated adoption of a Safe System approach, focused on creating safer roadways and vehicles, establishing safer speeds, supporting safer road users, and improving post-crash care, can help reduce U.S. pedestrian and overall traffic deaths.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic* / mortality
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Developed Countries* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pedestrians* / statistics & numerical data
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Young Adult