Pedestrian Deaths Trending Up In Rhode Island, New Report Shows

RHODE ISLAND — Pedestrian deaths in Rhode Island increased slightly in the first half of 2023 when compared with the same period a year prior, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Overall, drivers struck and killed 2,373 people during the first half of 2023 in the U.S., 153 fewer people than during the same period the year before, representing a modest decrease of 4 percent, according to the report from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, whose members represent the state highway safety offices.

The report said that in Rhode Island, five pedestrians were killed in the first half of 2023, up from the three who died in the first half of 2022, for a change of 66.7 percent. The report included historical data of pedestrian fatalities from January to June that showed:

• 2019 (final): three pedestrians killed
• 2020 (final): 10 pedestrians killed
• 2021 (final): three pedestrians killed
• 2022 (final): three pedestrians killed
• 2023 (preliminary): five pedestrians killed.

The analysis shows that 30 states, including Washington, D.C., had fewer pedestrian deaths in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, while 18 had more pedestrian deaths than in the prior period. Pedestrian deaths remained the same in three states.

Still, the number of pedestrians killed by drivers has increased 14 percent for the period since 2019, the last year before the pandemic upended travel patterns. The number of people killed while walking reached a four-decade high of more than 7,500 in 2022, according to final data for the year.

Even with the decrease, pedestrian deaths have increased a staggering 58 percent between the first half of 2013 and the same period in 2023.

The report said multiple factors are responsible for the deadly situation on U.S. roadways. A steep drop in traffic enforcement across the country since 2020 has allowed speeding, impaired driving and other dangerous driving habits to flourish.

At the same time, roadways are designed for fast-moving traffic rather than at slower speeds that are safer for pedestrians, the report said, noting a lack of sidewalks and crosswalks, and insufficient lighting in many areas of the country that protect people on foot.

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