Black Chicagoans face nearly four times the risk of dying in traffic crashes compared to White residents, according to data from the Chicago Department of Transportation. Latino residents are almost twice as likely as White Chicagoans to be killed in crashes, while people 70 and older face 1.7 times the average fatality rate.
These disparities reflect a troubling pattern across the United States. Black Chicagoans represent 61% of traffic deaths despite comprising only 29% of the city’s population, while White residents account for just 13% of fatalities though they make up 33% of the population. Fatal crashes concentrate heavily on Chicago’s South and West sides.
Dr. Olusimbo Ige, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, acknowledged that traffic-related mortality disproportionately impacts people of color, though the reasons remain unclear.
National research reveals similar patterns. A Harvard-Boston University study found Black Americans riding bikes were 4.5 times likelier to be killed than White cyclists, and twice as likely to die while walking. Researchers point to multiple factors including road conditions, emergency response times, and the growing prevalence of larger vehicles that create disproportionate health impacts through both crashes and air pollution exposure.
Adam Snider of the Governors Highway Safety Association emphasized the need to prioritize infrastructure investments in underserved areas and ensure traffic enforcement remains fair and equitable. Chicago officials hope lowering the city’s speed limit from 30 to 25 mph will address these deadly inequities.
See: “Black, Latino and Older Chicagoans More Likely to Die in Traffic Crashes, Data Shows” (January 6, 2025)
