Pedestrian Deaths Down in California and the Nation, Data Show

Pedestrian deaths decreased about 13 percent in California in 2023 and 5.4 percent in the United States compared to the year before, according to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, a nonprofit representing state highway safety offices. The report, released in June, revealed California had the largest decrease in pedestrian deaths last year. The state recorded 1,057 pedestrian fatalities—151 fewer than 2022—or a 12.5 percent drop. California had 2.71 pedestrian traffic deaths per 100,000 people in 2023 and New Mexico had the highest death rate for pedestrians for the third year in a row, at 4.68 deaths per 100,000. States with smaller populations tended to see larger percentage shifts, according to the report. Idaho, for example, had 20 more fatalities in 2023, a 125 percent increase from 2022....