Pedestrians and bicyclists Skip to content Vehicle ratings News Research areas About Home Research areas Pedestrians and bicyclists Home Research areas Pedestrians and bicyclists Pedestrians and bicyclists Overview By the numbers Bicycle helmets Vehicle speeds Design along roadways Intersections and mid-block crossings Vehicle design and crash severity Vehicle design and visibility Crash avoidance technology Electric and hybrid vehicles Overview The information on this page was compiled by Raul Avelar, a senior research transportation engineer at IIHS. Raul is the author of multiple studies on crossing beacons and other pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure. Contact Raul. Pedestrian deaths have increased 72% since reaching their low point in 2009 and account for 18% of crash fatalities. Three percent of people killed in motor vehicle crashes are bicyclists. Traffic engineering improvements can reduce pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Solutions include building median islands, creating bike lanes, installing flashing beacons at crosswalks, illuminating crosswalks at night and adjusting traffic signals to give pedestrians and bicyclists a head start. Lowering vehicle speeds can also reduce injury severity for pedestrians and bicyclists involved in crashes. Crash avoidance features and other vehicle improvements may also make pedestrians and bicyclists safer. Forward collision avoidance systems are increasingly designed to detect pedestrians in a vehicle's path, and rear cameras may prevent backover crashes. Modifying the front structures of vehicles may reduce the severity of pedestrian injuries. Regulators in Europe and elsewhere have been encouraging pedestrian protection in vehicle design through their vehicle testing programs. Helmets provide critical protection for bicyclists. Among a majority of bicyclists killed in crashes, head injuries are the most serious injuries. Helmet use has been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50%. Latest news Latest news Big blind zones linked to left-turn crashes A large driver-side blind zone raises the risk of striking a pedestrian during a left turn by 70%, a new IIHS study shows. November 19, 2025 Video: talking bike safety The wish list of the League of American Bicyclists includes many priorities that fit into the IIHS 30x30 initiative. October 9, 2025 By the numbers There were 7,080 pedestrians and 1,075 bicyclists killed in 2024 and approximately 72,000 pedestrians and 53,000 bicyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes on public roadways in the United States. Pedestrians comprised about 18% of crash deaths, and bicyclists made up about 3%. More pedestrian fatality statistics | bicyclist fatality statistics Bicycle helmets In a majority of bicyclist deaths, the most serious injuries are to the head, highlighting the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet (Sacks et al., 1991). Helmet use has been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50%, and the odds of head, face or neck injury by 33% (Elvik, 2013). Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have helmet use laws applying to young bicyclists. None of these laws apply to all riders. Local ordinances in a few states require some or all bicyclists to wear helmets. See this information in more detail (table) The odds that a bicyclist will wear a helmet are 4 times higher after a helmet law is enacted than before a law is passed (Karkhaneh et al., 2006).  Helmets are important for riders of all ages, not just young bicyclists. Eighty-nine percent of fatally injured bicyclists in 2024 were age 20 or older. Only about 13% of bicyclists who were fatally injured in 2024 were known to be wearing helmets. Helmet use rates are lower among bike share users than among riders of personally owned bicycles, even in cities requiring helmet use for all ages (Fischer et al., 2012; Zanotto & Winters, 2017). Not all helmets provide the same reduction in concussion risk (Bland et al., 2018). A bicycle helmet ratings program at Virginia Tech, based on research performed in collaboration with IIHS, ranks helmets on their performance in impact tests. Virginia Tech bicycle helmet ratings Vehicle speeds Higher vehicle speeds increase the risk of crash involvement and the risk of injury or death when a crash occurs. Because pedestrians and bicyclists don't have a vehicle’s structure to protect them, small increases in vehicle speeds have an especially large impact on the risk of a serious injury or fatality. A recent IIHS study using U.S. pedestrian crashes found the average risk of serious injury or worse to a pedestrian increased from 18% at an impact speed of 20 mph to 32% at 25 mph, 67% at 35 mph, 90% at 45 mph, and 97% at 55 mph (Monfort & Mueller, 2025). Effective engineering measures to reduce speeds in urban areas include traffic calming devices such as speed humps and multiway stop signs (Retting et al., 2003;  Rothman et al., 2015). Traffic calming can also be installed at intersections to reduce the speeds of left-turning vehicles (Hu & Cicchino, 2020). Lowering speed limits on city streets reduces the proportion of vehicles traveling at high speeds and has potential to prevent pedestrian and bicyclist injuries (Hu & Cicchino, 2020). More research on speed Design along roadways One key strategy for protecting pedestrians and bicyclists is to separate them from motor vehicles — for example, with sidewalks or bike lanes. Research has shown that sidewalks in residential areas are highly effective (Retting et al., 2003), while creating bike lanes is associated with reductions in crashes (Avelar et al., 2021). Separated bike lanes, also called protected bike lanes, are physically separated from traffic with barriers such as posts or parked cars. A 2023 study in the U.S. found separated bike lanes are more safety-effective than traditional painted bike lanes (FHWA, 2023). An IIHS study (Cicchino et al., 2020) found that the risk of crashing or falling can vary in separated bike lanes with different designs. The study suggested that characteristics that minimize conflict points, such as fewer intersections with roads and driveways, more continuous separation, and less complexity for crossing vehicles, can reduce the risk. Intersections and mid-block crossings Pedestrians and bicyclists can be separated from traffic as they cross the street by overpasses, underpasses, and median islands in busy two-way streets (Retting et al., 2003). Curb extensions reduce the time pedestrians are in the road and make them more visible to drivers (Zegeer et al., 2013). Narrowing or eliminating travel lanes on multilane roads with a road diet can allow more space for median islands and curb extensions, as well as for sidewalks and bike lanes (Knapp et al., 2014). Pedestrian crossing improvements Research summary for policymakers and advocates Effective countermeasures involving changes to traffic signals include exclusive traffic signal phasing that stops all vehicle traffic for part or all of the pedestrian or cyclist crossing signal duration, and left turn phasing, in which left-turning vehicles have a green arrow and crossing pedestrians or cyclists have a red light (Retting et al., 2003; Chen et al., 2013; Ledezma-Navarro et al., 2018). Extending the time available for pedestrians to cross at intersections with signals can be beneficial, especially for older pedestrians (Chen et al., 2013; Stollof et al., 2007). Providing pedestrians a three- or four-second head start through a leading pedestrian interval (a signal that allows pedestrians to begin crossing before the release of turning vehicles) has been found to reduce pedestrian crashes (FHWA, 2019). Special warning signs and pavement markings to encourage or prompt pedestrians to look for turning vehicles as they cross the street may help at signalized intersections (Retting et al., 1996). Bike boxes, also called advanced stop lines or advanced stop boxes, are designated areas for bicyclists to stop in front of queued traffic at red lights. They have been shown to reduce conflicts with vehicles at signalized intersections (Dill et al., 2012). Pedestrian crossing beacons Pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) alert drivers to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. The signals are activated by pedestrians and remain dark otherwise. They cycle through two yellow warning phases before signaling drivers to stop with two steady red lights. In a 2021 study, PHBs were associated with a 45% reduction in crashes in which pedestrians were killed or injured (Fitzpatrick et al., 2021). Stages of a pedestrian hybrid beacon Proceed through crossing Slow down Prepare to stop Stop Stop and proceed if clear Proceed through crossing A woman crosses at a pedestrian hybrid beacon in Arlington, Virginia. Rapid-flashing beacons, which are yellow LEDs mounted to pedestrian or bicyclist crossing signs that flash in an irregular pattern when nonmotorists are present, also draw the attention of drivers to pedestrians and cyclists and have been shown to reduce pedestrian crashes by 47% (Zegeer et al., 2017).  A rectangular rapid flashing beacon, or RRFB An IIHS study showed that both PHBs and, to a lesser extent, rapid-flashing beacons increase driver yielding when they are used (Avelar & Cicchino, 2026). However, the researchers found that when PHBs were activated, the time pedestrians spent waiting to cross more than doubled. That delay helps explain why many pedestrians simply cross without activating a PHB. Based on that finding, PHBs should be reserved for locations with the most challenging crossing conditions — for example, wide roads with high traffic volumes and speeds. Rapid-flashing beacons are a good alternative where crossing conditions are less challenging. Crosswalk illuminators have also been shown to increase the odds of drivers yielding at crosswalks at night, particularly when paired with rapid-flashing beacons (Hu et al., 2024). Vehicle design and crash severity Vehicle type and design can affect the severity of injuries to pedestrians. Pedestrians and bicyclists are more likely to die or be seriously injured when struck by SUVs or pickups than when struck by cars (Monfort & Mueller, 2020; Monfort & Mueller, 2023; Roudsari et al., 2004). A big reason for this is the height and shape of these vehicles’ front ends. An IIHS study found that vehicles with hoods more than 40 inches off the ground were about 45% more likely to cause pedestrian fatalities than vehicles with hood heights lower than 30 inches and sloped front ends (Hu et al, 2024). Medium-height vehicles with blunt front ends were 26% more likely to kill a pedestrian. Comparative risk of pedestrian fatality by hood leading edge height and shape Taller front ends magnify the effect of crash speed on injury risk. At 10 mph, both a midsize car and midsize pickup are associated with a 5% risk of serious injury, but at 30 mph the car is associated with a 37% risk and the pickup is more than double, at 76% (Monfort & Mueller, 2025). Taller vehicles with vertical front-ends produce more head, torso and pelvis injuries (Hu et al., 2026; Monfort et al., 2024). Taller vehicles are twice as likely to knock down the pedestrian and run them over (Monfort et al., 2024), whereas passenger cars are more likely to strike an adult pedestrian in the legs and throw them onto the hood (Crandall et al., 2002). There has been a great deal of research into how vehicle front ends, including those of SUVs and pickups, can be modified to reduce the threat they pose to pedestrians (Ashton & Mackay, 1983; United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, 2009; Daniel, 1982). Softer front-end structures and a sloped front end can help mitigate torso injuries, but additional strategies such as front-end airbags will likely be needed to reduce the risks from the tallest passenger vehicles (Hu et al., 2026). Regulators in Europe, Japan, Korea and Australia have implemented vehicle testing programs specifically aim…