Pedestrian Safety: Understanding the Risks on Our Roads

Whether someone is behind the wheel, riding a bike or walking to work, school, a restaurant or home, our streets should be safe for everyone. Protecting the people with the least physical protection should remain part of how we think about sharing them safely.

A relatively small percentage of Pennsylvania traffic accidents involve pedestrians. Yet when they do, the consequences are disproportionately severe.

In 2024, pedestrian-related accidents accounted for just 2.7% of reported traffic accidents in Pennsylvania but 15.4% of all traffic fatalities. That year, 174 pedestrians lost their lives in accidents across the state, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The disparity highlights a fundamental reality of sharing the road: pedestrians have virtually nothing protecting them when they are struck by a motor vehicle.

In a dense city like Philadelphia, where people walking routinely interact with cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, e-bikes, delivery vehicles and other forms of transportation, awareness of those risks is particularly important.

How Pedestrian Accidents Happen

Pedestrian accidents can occur almost anywhere vehicles and people on foot interact, but certain circumstances create recurring risks.

Intersections are one example. Drivers turning right or left may be watching other vehicles and fail to see someone entering or already using a crosswalk. Drivers may also approach an intersection too quickly to stop safely or fail to yield when required.

Other serious crashes can involve:

• Vehicles backing out of driveways or parking areas
• Drivers failing to see pedestrians at night or in poor weather
• Distracted or impaired drivers
• Speeding vehicles
• Hit-and-run drivers
• Commercial trucks with significant blind spots
• Rideshare or delivery vehicles stopping, turning or entering traffic
• Pedestrians struck while walking along or crossing a roadway

No two crashes are identical, and determining what occurred often requires looking beyond the initial police report.

Speed Matters When a Pedestrian Is Involved

Speed affects both whether a driver can avoid a collision and the severity of the injuries that may result.

A driver traveling too fast for the conditions has less time to recognize a pedestrian and react. At higher impact speeds, the forces imposed on a person outside a vehicle also increase.

This is one reason speeding is not only an issue between motorists. Pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users can face the most serious consequences of unsafe driving behavior.

Large Vehicles Can Present Additional Risks

Trucks, buses and other large commercial vehicles are an essential part of city life, but their size can create additional challenges around pedestrians and cyclists.

Large vehicles may have substantial blind spots, require more room to maneuver and need greater distances to stop. Turns can be particularly dangerous when a pedestrian or cyclist is traveling alongside the vehicle or crossing the street the vehicle is entering.

When a commercial vehicle is involved in a serious pedestrian accident, the investigation may extend beyond the actions of the individual driver. Vehicle ownership, the driver’s employer, training and supervision, maintenance, electronic records and other evidence may all become relevant depending on the circumstances.

Serious Pedestrian Accidents Require Careful Investigation

In a catastrophic accident, understanding exactly what happened can be critical.

Evidence can disappear quickly. Nearby businesses or homes may have surveillance video. Vehicles may contain electronic data. Phones, dash cameras and commercial fleet systems may hold additional information. Witness memories can fade, and the physical scene itself can change.

A thorough investigation may examine:

• Police reports and witness accounts
• Surveillance, traffic-camera and dash-camera footage
• Vehicle data
• Cellphone or other electronic records
• Driver history and, when applicable, commercial driving records
• Physical evidence from the scene
• Lighting, visibility and weather conditions
• Vehicle condition and maintenance
• Accident reconstruction

Depending on the circumstances, more than one person or entity may bear responsibility.

Everyone Has a Role in Protecting People on Foot

Philadelphia’s transportation landscape continues to change, but as the most walkable city in the United States, walking remains one of the most basic ways people move through the city.

Drivers can help protect pedestrians by slowing down, eliminating distractions, checking carefully before turning and expecting people to be present at intersections and crossings. Pedestrians can improve their visibility, remain alert when crossing and avoid assuming that a driver has seen them.

Pennsylvania’s updated distracted-driving law also reflects the importance of attention behind the wheel. Since June 2025, the state’s hands-free law has prohibited drivers from using hand-held devices while driving, including while temporarily stopped in traffic or at a traffic signal. Citations for violations began in June 2026.

Whether someone is behind the wheel, riding a bike or walking to work, school, a restaurant or home, Philadelphia’s streets should be safe for everyone. Protecting the people with the least physical protection should remain part of how we think about sharing them safely.

Seriously Injured in a Pedestrian Accident?

Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky has represented pedestrians and other vulnerable road users who have suffered catastrophic injuries in motor vehicle and commercial vehicle accidents. Our attorneys understand the importance of investigating these accidents thoroughly and identifying all parties who may bear responsibility.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, contact Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky for a free case evaluation and learn more about your legal options.