LOOK OUT! Illinois Roads Increasingly Dangerous for Pedestrians

Numbers can be tortured to show almost anything, but without prompting, a look at the Illinois Department of Transportation numbers on traffic fatalities in 2024 appears brutal. At least in one area.

Perhaps we should focus on the good first. Deaths from traffic accidents this past year were down 3.5% from 2023. A decrease in death from car crashes is a good thing. What’s not good though is the number of fatalities to pedestrians in 2024. That number is up 9.5% from 2023. 200 up to 219.

As we saw last week the Missouri Dept of Transportation reported a record number of pedestrian deaths on Missouri roads last year. This isn’t just a Midwest thing. Pedestrian deaths are up across the country steadily since 2010.

Related: A New Missouri State Record - That Missouri Doesn't Want

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Research shows that larger vehicles (SUV’s, Pick-ups, Vans) were more likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents. Then there’s the un-ignorable reality of distracted driving (and walking) where cell phones are pulling our attention away from roadway dangers.

Bicycle traffic has also increased and has demanded an extra level of attention to what’s going on around us on the road. While those bicycle fatality numbers are down from last year, they are still up over the seven year average.

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Take extra time crossing the street, be mindful of vehicles turning the corner at your crosswalk. I’ve even seen downtown pedestrians take to wearing reflective vests and jackets just to give themselves a little extra help. A human body vs a moving vehicle won’t win, and in many cases won’t survive.