Which American States’ Intersections Are Posing Fatal Challenges For Pedestrians? Study Answers

A comprehensive analysis has revealed that New York has the highest proportion of pedestrian fatalities occurring at intersections over a five-year timeframe.

• New York leads the nation with 48.44% of pedestrians killed in fatal crashes occurring at intersections over the five-year study period.

• New Jersey secured the second position with 41.64% of pedestrian deaths, and Minnesota, placed third, reported 37.89%.

• West Virginia ranked last in the study, with only 5.47% of pedestrians killed in fatal crashes happening at intersections.

Personal injury attorneys at DeMayo Law Office examined fatal crash statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) spanning from 2018 through 2022. Researchers calculated the annual percentage of pedestrian deaths at junctions, then used the overall percentage from the five-year period to create rankings from highest to lowest across all states.

New York led all states with 48.44% of pedestrians killed in fatal crashes occurring at junctions. From the total of 1,367 pedestrian fatalities in crashes between 2018 and 2022, 608 individuals were at an intersection when the incident occurred. The year 2018 recorded the highest proportion of intersection-related pedestrian deaths at 51.87%, representing more than half of all such fatalities.

New Jersey followed in second place with 41.64% of pedestrian deaths occurring at intersections. During the five-year study period, 381 pedestrians lost their lives at junctions out of 915 total pedestrian fatalities. Similar to New York, 2018 had the highest percentage of intersection-related pedestrian deaths at 46.82%.

Minnesota secured third position with 37.89% of pedestrian fatalities happening at intersections. Of the 227 total pedestrian deaths in crashes from 2018 to 2022, 86 individuals were at junctions when killed. Unlike the top two states, Minnesota’s highest percentage of intersection-related pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2022, reaching 41.86%.

Utah ranked fourth with 37.44% of pedestrian deaths taking place at junctions. Between 2018 and 2022, 73 pedestrians were killed at intersections out of 195 total pedestrian fatalities. The state’s worst year was 2022, when 46.67% of pedestrian deaths happened at junctions.

Nevada completed the top five with 34.29% of pedestrian fatalities occurring at intersections. From the total of 385 pedestrians killed in crashes during the study period, 132 deaths occurred at junctions. Nevada experienced its highest percentage of intersection-related pedestrian fatalities in 2021, with 38.75%.

Additional states in the top ten include Massachusetts, Colorado, Nebraska, Alaska, and Connecticut.

West Virginia recorded the lowest percentage in the analysis, with just 5.47% of pedestrians killed in fatal crashes occurring at junctions. Out of 128 total pedestrian fatalities between 2018 and 2022, only seven individuals were documented as being at an intersection when the deadly incident occurred.

Michael DeMayo, CEO of DeMayo Law Office, offered the following observation on the findings

“It is concerning to see such a high percentage of pedestrian fatalities that could have been easily prevented in these states. Intersections tend to be where many accidents take place due to requiring greater awareness as vehicles come from multiple directions.

“Pedestrians should avoid crossing or lingering at intersections whenever possible unless there is a dedicated pedestrian crossing area nearby. We hope that upcoming data releases will show an overall decrease in pedestrian-vehicle fatalities like this.

“Many of these fatalities could be prevented with better-designed crosswalks, longer pedestrian signal timing, and improved visibility at critical junctions. Cities with the highest percentages should prioritize traffic calming measures and pedestrian-focused urban planning”

Top 10 U.S. States With the Highest Percentage of Fatal Pedestrian Crashes At Intersections