September 9, 2014

Older Pedestrians Are At Higher Risk for Fatal Accidents

Older pedestrians are more likely to be killed in a vehicular accident than younger pedestrians according to a new study from Tri-Star Transportation Campaign (TSTC), a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to reducing car dependency in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The study shows that while those 60 and older make up 19% of the state’s population, they were 35% of the state’s victims of fatal accidents. The difference is even greater when looking at people 75 and older: they are 7% of the state’s population but 17% of the pedestrian fatalities.

Between 2003 and 2012, the statewide pedestrian fatality rate for those (1) aged 60 and older was 1.84 per 100,000 people and (2)  younger than 60 was 0.79 per 100,000 people.

Nationally, the 60-and-older rate is 2.23 per 100,000 and the younger-than-60 rate is 1.40 per 100,000.