Pedestrian deaths in the U.S. reached a count not seen in 40 years.
An estimated 7,485 pedestrians were killed in 2021, up 12 percent from the 6,711 deaths reported in 2020, according to a report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit organization that tracks those figures.
A spokesperson for the association cited multiple factors that contribute to pedestrian deaths: dangerous driving, the lack of pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, road designs that prioritize speed, vehicle size and weight, and the weather.
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Fatalities increased in all but 13 states, including California, Maryland and Missouri, from 2020 to 2021. According to a GHSA analysis, states in the Southwest and South have the most deaths when adjusted for population.
Read the full story at NBCNews.com
