Study: Lighted Crosswalks Can Boost Pedestrian Safety | Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick, LLC

Empty crosswalk at night illuminated by a streetlight, with shrubs and a sidewalk in the background.

Better street lighting and lighted crosswalks, in particular, help prevent pedestrian accidents, according to a recent pedestrian safety study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

"These results show that simple changes can have a dramatic impact on pedestrian safety," IIHS President David Harkey said in a statement released by the independent, non-profit organization about the recent study. "When drivers are yielding, pedestrians aren't dying."

How common are pedestrian accidents?

To understand why pedestrian safety is so critical, it is important to realize just how bad the national pedestrian accident problem has become in recent years. Since 2019, the number of pedestrian fatalities has skyrocketed.

The worst year for fatal pedestrian accidents was 2022, when 7,508 pedestrians died nationwide due to being hit by a vehicle, according to accident data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as reported by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). That's the most pedestrian fatalities in a single year since 1981.

Even though pedestrian deaths did decrease in 2023 compared to 2022—there were 7,318 pedestrian fatalities nationwide in 2023—those numbers are still significantly higher compared to 2019. Specifically, the number of pedestrian deaths in 2023 was 14 percent higher compared to 2019, the GHSA reported.

Lighting can help prevent pedestrian accidents

In general, IIHS researchers found that any type of lighting added to a dark crosswalk improved pedestrian safety and prompted drivers to slow down and yield to pedestrians. However, certain types of lighting improved pedestrian safety more than others.

Specifically, the IIHS study found that drivers were three times more likely to slow down for pedestrians in illuminated crosswalks compared to ones without lights. When a flashing yellow warning light was added to a crosswalk, drivers were 13 times more likely to yield to pedestrians. This is especially true if the flashing warning light was triggered by a pedestrian entering the crosswalk.

"These results show that crosswalk lighting and flashing beacons make pedestrians substantially safer in poorly lit areas," said study author Wen Hu, IIHS senior research transportation engineer. "Along with lower speed limits and road designs that discourage speeding, these simple solutions have the potential to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities."

Why do pedestrian accidents happen?

One of the most common contributing factors in many pedestrian accidents is poor lighting. Roughly 75 percent of the pedestrians who died due to being hit by a car in 2022 were struck by a driver in the dark, the GHSA reported.

However, pedestrian accidents often occur for many other reasons. In particular, reckless and aggressive drivers often cause many pedestrian injuries. Some of the reasons why include:

Speeding drivers who don't slow down for pedestrians in a crosswalk or walking alongside a street.
Distracted drivers, especially texting drivers, who aren't paying attention and hit a pedestrian.
Drunk drivers or drivers under the influence of drugs.
Tired drivers who fall asleep at the wheel and hit a pedestrian.
Aggressive drivers who don't share the road with pedestrians.

How can a pedestrian accident attorney help?

Many pedestrian accident claims quickly turn into complicated legal cases. This is especially true if your accident-related expenses add up to a lot of money. Rather than paying you the money you rightfully deserve, many insurance companies do everything they can to pay injured pedestrians or family members as little as possible—or nothing at all.

A pedestrian accident attorney at the Law Offices of Stuart L. Plotnick, LLC can help you level the playing field. We know the laws that apply to pedestrian accidents throughout the DMV area. We understand which legal strategies can be the most effective. That's why we have such a strong track record of success.

Get the DC area law firm that gets results. Contact us and schedule a free case evaluation with a DMV pedestrian accident lawyer focused on winning your case. We proudly represent injury victims in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

"I found Mr. Stuart's Law Firm on Google for representation after I was hit (as a pedestrian) by a driver on my way to work. It was a long process, but in the end Mr. Stuart and his assistants (Jackie, Olga) did an excellent job in getting a good deal from the driver and his insurance company." - T.D.