Home › Statistics › Pedestrian Fatality Statistics 2024: Latest NHTSA and IIHS Data

Pedestrian Fatality Statistics 2024: Latest NHTSA and IIHS Data

By AutoInsuranceBundle.pro · Published November 8, 2026 · Reviewed November 8, 2026

Short answer: NHTSA counted 7,080 pedestrian deaths in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024, down 3.9% from a revised 7,367 in 2023. That is still far above the 2009 low of 4,109. Injuries rose to 71,635 from 68,241.

Pedestrian traffic deaths by year, 2009–2024

Click a column header to sort. Figures for 2009 through 2024 come from IIHS Fatality Facts 2024: Pedestrians (posted June 2026), which analyzes NHTSA FARS. The 7,080 deaths and 18% share for 2024 match NHTSA’s Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, Table 3).

A machine-readable copy of the table is in the CSV.

Fresh 2024 figures vs older counts people still cite

The latest national count is 7,080 pedestrian deaths in 2024. That is 287 fewer than the revised 7,367 deaths in 2023, a 3.9% decrease (NHTSA Overview, Table 3). Total traffic deaths in the same table fell from 41,025 to 39,254.

An older publication still circulates a different 2023 number. NHTSA’s Quick Facts 2023 (DOT HS 813 720) listed 7,314 pedestrian fatalities for 2023, along with 7,593 for 2022 and 7,470 for 2021. The 2022 and 2021 counts match the later IIHS yearly table. The 2023 count does not: FARS 2023 Final File, used in the 2024 overview and by IIHS, revised 2023 to 7,367.

2022 remains the recent peak in this series, at 7,593 deaths (18% of all traffic deaths). IIHS notes that pedestrian deaths in 2024 have increased 72% since the modern low point of 4,109 in 2009 and still account for 18% of crash fatalities.

Injuries rose while deaths fell

Deaths and injuries did not move together. NHTSA Table 3 (CRSS for injuries) shows 71,635 pedestrians injured in 2024, up 3,394 (5.0%) from 68,241 in 2023. NHTSA’s pedestrian-safety page summarizes the same year as 7,080 killed and more than 71,000 injured, and says a pedestrian was killed every 74 minutes in 2024.

For context from the same Table 3, motorcyclist deaths fell from 6,366 to 6,228 and pedalcyclist deaths fell from 1,173 to 1,103.

Hit-and-run pedestrian deaths

Of the 7,080 pedestrian fatalities in 2024, 1,749 (25%) were in hit-and-run crashes (NHTSA Overview). IIHS reports the same 25% share for 2024 and notes that hit-and-run crashes accounted for about 20% of pedestrian fatalities between 2015 and 2019, jumped to 24% in 2020, and have been at 25% since then.

A hit-and-run death is still a traffic death in these counts. Insurance questions after a hit-and-run — including uninsured-motorist coverage — are separate from the fatality tally. See what happens if an uninsured driver hits my car.

How to cite these numbers

Always say whether a number is a FARS count (deaths within 30 days on a public trafficway) and which file it came from (final file vs annual report file vs an earlier Quick Facts edition).

Decision helper: which figure belongs in your citation?

Step-by-step: read a pedestrian fatality statistic

1. Check the year. 2024 is the latest full FARS year in these sources.
2. Check whether the figure is deaths or injuries. Injuries rose in 2024; deaths fell.
3. If the figure is for 2023, see whether it is 7,314 (Quick Facts 2023) or 7,367 (later final file).
4. If someone cites only 2022’s 7,593, note that it is the recent peak, not the latest year.
5. For a long-term claim, compare with 2009’s 4,109 rather than with a single recent year.
6. For hit-and-run claims, use the 25% / 1,749 figure from the 2024 overview.
7. Do not mix FARS (30-day public-road deaths) with a state crash-facts total that uses another definition.
8. Link or name the publication number (DOT HS 813 791, DOT HS 813 720, or IIHS Fatality Facts 2024 Pedestrians).

Edge cases

These national counts do not identify which vehicle struck the pedestrian or whether the driver was insured. They are not a ranking of cities or states; other NHTSA and IIHS tables cover geography. They also are not an insurance premium statistic.

FARS counts deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public trafficway. A state DOT report that counts deaths within 12 months, or that includes some private-road crashes, will not match these totals exactly.

FAQ

How many pedestrians were killed in U.S. traffic crashes in 2024?

7,080, according to NHTSA’s Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2024 (DOT HS 813 791, Table 3) and IIHS Fatality Facts 2024: Pedestrians.

Did pedestrian deaths go up or down in 2024?

Down. Deaths fell by 287, or 3.9%, from the revised 7,367 in 2023. Injuries rose from 68,241 to 71,635.

What is the most recent peak for pedestrian deaths?

In the IIHS 1975–2024 series excerpted above, 2022 is the recent peak at 7,593 deaths.

Why do some pages still say 7,314 pedestrians died in 2023?

That was the 2023 figure in NHTSA Quick Facts 2023 (DOT HS 813 720). The FARS 2023 Final File, used in the 2024 overview and by IIHS, revised it to 7,367.

What share of traffic deaths are pedestrians?

18% in 2022, 2023, and 2024, according to the IIHS yearly table. NHTSA’s pedestrian-safety page and IIHS both describe pedestrians as 18% of crash fatalities in 2024.

How common are hit-and-run pedestrian deaths?

NHTSA reported that 1,749 of 7,080 pedestrian fatalities in 2024 (25%) were hit-and-run. IIHS gives the same 25% share and notes the share was about 20% from 2015 to 2019.

How often was a pedestrian killed in 2024?

NHTSA’s pedestrian-safety page says a pedestrian was killed every 74 minutes in traffic crashes in 2024.

Are these figures the same as a state crash-facts report?

Not necessarily. FARS counts deaths within 30 days on public trafficways. Some state reports use a longer time window or different crash definitions, so a state total can differ from the FARS state count.

For another perspective, see a student blog post on reducing crash injuries, a reminder that pedestrian deaths are still a large share of U.S. traffic fatalities.

Important: This article is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice, and coverage rules vary by state, insurer, and policy. AutoInsuranceBundle.pro is a free, independent insurance comparison and referral service. We are not an insurance company, we do not issue policies, and we do not provide insurance advice. Calls to the number on this site are routed to licensed insurance agents or agencies in our partner network, who may receive compensation. Calling is completely voluntary and there is no obligation to buy. Rates, discounts, and availability vary by carrier, state, and individual eligibility; not all carriers, products, or discounts are available in all states. Calls may be recorded for quality and compliance purposes.