American Indian and Alaska Native populations face the highest pedestrian fatality rates among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to new research analyzing traffic deaths from 2011 to 2019. The data reveals stark disparities, with American Indian or Alaska Native males experiencing fatality odds nearly twice as high as non-AI/AN males.
Black or African American communities also bear a disproportionate burden. Black males had annualized death rates of 0.50 per 100,000 population, significantly higher than the overall rate. Black or African American females showed similarly elevated rates at 0.18 per 100,000.
The study examined over 51,000 pedestrian deaths during the nine-year period, finding that males across all racial groups died at 2.5 times the rate of females. Hispanic or Latino males experienced 1.2 times higher death rates than non-Hispanic males.
Researchers attribute these disparities to multiple factors affecting minority communities. Road quality and inadequate pedestrian facilities on reservations pose particular concerns for American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Many crashes occur in lower-income neighborhoods that predominantly house minority communities, where pedestrian activity is frequent but safety infrastructure may be lacking.
The findings underscore how pedestrian safety represents not just a transportation issue but a public health crisis with deeply inequitable outcomes across racial and ethnic lines. As pedestrian travel increased from 10.5% to 11.9% of all trips between 2009 and 2017, these disparities demand targeted intervention strategies.
See: “Pedestrian Fatalities and Their Demographic Disparities in the US” (January 14, 2025)
