Nearly 80% of the 7,522 pedestrians hit and killed in 2022 died at night. Data shows that night hours are the most dangerous for pedestrians for various reasons — but mostly because of the darkness.
When the sun sets, the road’s usual dangers are amplified. Distracted, drowsy and drunk driving increase as visibility decreases. It is a deadly combination.
Especially in the summer months, pedestrians crisscross sidewalks and roadways in the United States. Nice weather, fun activities and free time pull us from our houses. But it’s important that all of us are aware of the risks we face when we decide to walk or drive at night.
By the numbers: Pedestrian crashes at night
About 30,000 pedestrians were injured in nighttime motor vehicle crashes in 2022, the most in three years.
The number of pedestrians killed in crashes in the U.S. (regardless of time of day) rose 18% between 2018 and 2022, from 6,374 to 7,522. When we narrow our focus to pedestrians killed in fatal crashes at night in those years, we see a 23% increase.
In 2022, the most recent year with available data, 5,688 pedestrians were killed in nighttime crashes. That’s about 76% of all pedestrian fatalities that year. If these deaths were distributed evenly throughout the year, that would mean almost 16 pedestrians died each night.
At Craig, Kelley & Faultless, we represent clients across the Midwest. Our focus on the six states in which we’re licensed to practice makes us especially concerned with the people killed in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri and Iowa.
Let’s look at the 2022 data for nighttime pedestrian fatalities in those states.
Indiana: 82 deaths
Illinois: 138 deaths
Kentucky: 66 deaths
Ohio: 114 deaths
Missouri: 104 deaths
Iowa: 11 deaths
In each of these states, about seven out of every 10 pedestrian deaths happened at night. Missouri had the highest ratio, with eight out of 10 dying at night.
Why do so many pedestrians die at night in Missouri?
Let’s zoom into Missouri to examine what’s causing so many nighttime pedestrian deaths.
Studies have shown that more pedestrians are struck in urban areas than anywhere else, and Missouri’s data supports that, according to NHTSA. There were 104 nighttime pedestrian fatalities in 2022 in Missouri — and about 35% of them occurred in the state’s three biggest cities.
The average Missouri city had only one nighttime pedestrian death in 2022. In Kansas City (the largest city by population and area), 14 died; in St. Louis (the second largest), 17 died; and in Springfield (the third largest), 5 died.
So, what makes metropolitan areas so much deadlier?
For starters, these cities have more people. It sounds obvious, but more people lead to more transportation, which leads to greater potential for collisions. Bigger cities also have more people traveling on foot than rural areas.
Kansas City has a “Walk Score” of 35 out of 100, meaning it is a car-dependent city. The Walk Score site considers street intersection density, transit stops and walking distance to amenities to determine a city’s score. In less-walkable areas, pedestrians are more vulnerable. Lighting, sidewalk accessibility and visibility are all important factors in pedestrian safety.
Drunk driving at night
Drunk drivers are three times more likely to be involved in deadly wrecks during nighttime than daytime, according to NHTSA data. Drivers who are impaired — whether by drugs or alcohol — should never operate vehicles.
Blood alcohol content, or BAC, can impact a person’s driving ability after as few as one or two drinks. Any BAC can impair judgement, leading to worsened decision making. At 0.05% BAC, your vision may start getting blurrier. At 0.08% BAC, you lose coordination, negatively impacting your balance and reaction times.
The legal limit in the United States is currently 0.08%, which means that every day, especially during nighttime and weekends, there are thousands of drivers legally operating vehicles while impaired. Some states are trying to lower the BAC to prevent impaired driving.
Drowsy driving kills pedestrians
Unlike BAC, there is no measure for a person’s alertness when driving, so it’s a bit harder to prevent drowsy driving. Driving when you’re sleep deprived is dangerous, and tired drivers kill pedestrians every day in the United States.
However, because it is virtually impossible to measure how tired a person was when they caused a wreck, the data on drowsy driving is incomplete. The NHTSA reports that drowsy driving contributed to only 24 of the 5,688 pedestrians killed at night in 2022. The American Automobile Association estimates that, while police reports attribute only 2.4% of car crashes to drowsy driving, the number is actually closer to 18%.
Tired drivers are considered as dangerous as drunk drivers. They experience slower reaction times and impaired judgment, as well as microsleep. Even closing your eyes for a few seconds (known as microsleep) can cause deadly wrecks. Most drowsy driving accidents occur between midnight and 6 a.m.
Distracted driving isn’t harmless
Distracted driving is another behavior that contributes to pedestrian deaths and peaks at night. Cell phone use is the main distraction taking our eyes away from the road. Texting, choosing music, talking on the phone, getting navigation, taking pictures, etc., are actions that can seem quick — even harmless — but become deadly.
When your eyes aren’t on the road or your hands aren’t on the steering wheel, you may swerve between lanes, run red lights and stop signs, or brake too late. If you’re on your cell phone and a pedestrian is on a nearby sidewalk or crossing the street, it’s likely you won’t see them.
And let’s face it: Pedestrians don’t always make wise choices. At night, they wear dark clothing instead of reflective gear. They text while crossing the street. But it’s your responsibility as the driver to keep your attention on your surroundings to protect yourself and those around you.
Heavy trucks strike pedestrians at night
Commercial motor vehicle drivers — those operating semis, tractor-trailers, flatbed trucks and more — are susceptible to dangerous driving, too. In 2022, large trucks struck and killed about 291 pedestrians in the United States, according to NHTSA.
Drowsy driving is common among truck drivers, and many of them suffer from sleep apnea, which causes fatigue. Large trucks are also heavier and larger than other vehicles, making them harder to stop or maneuver. If their drivers cannot see a pedestrian, fall asleep, or choose to drive while impaired, they can cause deadly collisions.
These collisions can happen anywhere, at any time. But semis, already hindered by large blind spots, lose visibility at night. As recently as July 31, a pedestrian in Indiana was struck and killed by a semi-truck at night. The pedestrian was crossing I-69 after midnight in an unlit area of a work zone and wearing dark clothes, according to a news article.
If you’re walking at night, keep yourself safe
Just like drivers, pedestrians are responsible for making wise choices. If you’re walking at night, follow these tips.
- Wear reflective clothing
- Stick to well-lit areas (you can carry a flashlight, too)
- Have your cell phone in case of emergencies — but don’t text while walking
- Make sure you can hear (which means you shouldn’t wear headphones or earbuds)
- Cross the street at areas with traffic signals and designated crosswalks
Have you or a loved one been struck by a car or large truck while walking at night? Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless for a free consultation at 800-746-0226 or with our online form.
David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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