Analysis Identifies Connecticut's Most Dangerous Areas for Pedestrians

In recent months in Connecticut, news headlines have highlighted the significant increase in pedestrian-vehicle accidents on roadways across the state.  Recent incidents in West Hartford, East Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Derby and Norwich. 

The numbers have been on the rise here and across the country in recent years, and newly compiled Connecticut data points to “the most dangerous areas for pedestrians” – locations where pedestrians may be at higher risk of being struck.

 The study, commissioned by the law firm of Jacobs & Jacobs, identified ‘danger zones’, or larger areas where a high volume of collisions and injuries occurred within close proximity (250 feet) of one another.

Between 2017-2021 in Connecticut, there were a total of 5,620 pedestrian injuries and 254 fatal injuries. Across the United States, pedestrian fatalities are increasing faster than any other traffic-related fatality.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that nationwide, 300 people annually die in crashes where a pedestrian is leaving, working on or returning to a stopped vehicle, a more than 25% increase since 2014.

Data collected by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows that since 2009, pedestrian deaths have increased by 53%, while all other traffic-related fatalities have increased by a mere 2%. In 2019 In 2020, 6,516 pedestrians were killed across the US in pedestrian accidents, and around 55,000 pedestrians were injured, according to data collected by the NHTSA.

The data compiled in the Connecticut study indicates that the communities with the largest number of pedestrian collisions during the 4 year period are New Haven, with 681 crashes, Bridgeport with 548, Hartford with 546, Waterbury with 464, Stamford with 409, followed by New Britain (187), Norwalk (169), Danbury  (164), West Haven (132) and West Hartford (109).

The top five towns all have 400+ crashes, while the towns ranked 6th-20th all have under 200 crashes.

Another segment of the data analysis applied a crash risk index (CRI), that weights collision volume and crash severity. The rankings are seen here:

 The analysis reveals that 18 of the top 20 streets for pedestrian collisions are found in the top five towns for pedestrian collisions. Four of the top five streets are highways, the report indicates.

Pedestrians are especially vulnerable in accidents with motor vehicles, the report points out.. Motor vehicles are equipped with several safety features and protections for occupants, like airbags and seat belts, that help to reduce the risk of injury and death in an accident.

Pedestrians, however, have no protection and are directly vulnerable to the force of impact from a vehicle that is much heavier and traveling much faster. This vulnerability is reflected in national traffic crash data that shows that pedestrians account for 17% of traffic deaths, while they are only involved in 1.2% of crashes overall.

The report also referenced a publication by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) shows that pedestrians struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph have a 90% chance of survival. However, when speed is increased by 10 mph to 30 mph, pedestrians’ chance of survival is reduced to 50%, and at 40 mph there is only a 10% chance.

The Connecticut study is based on data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation between the years 2017-2021.  The report in its entirety, including detailed lists of the locations that have seen the highest volume of crashes involving pedestrians, can be seen here.