5 Actions Based on the Latest GHSA Pedestrian Safety Report

The latest GHSA Pedestrian Fatality Analysis offers encouraging signs of progress. But it also sends a clear message: now is the time to double down on proactive pedestrian safety strategies.

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In July 2026, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) released new pedestrian fatality findings showing that pedestrian deaths declined 7% from 2024. It’s also the third consecutive year with a decline.

For transportation agencies, MPOs, DOTs, engineering firms, and university transportation centers, the report raises an important question: How do we transform these findings into actions that prevent the next pedestrian fatality?

“There’s more to do, but momentum is leading to more momentum: smarter policy, better roadway engineering, safer vehicles, greater use of technology, stronger community engagement, and a renewed commitment to supporting law enforcement as a vital part of traffic safety are reinforcing each other and driving continued declines.”
— Jonathan Adkins, CEO, Governors Highway Safety Association in a LinkedIn post about the findings.

The study also offers what states are doing to improve pedestrian safety. Tactics that include positive countermeasures like better lighting, automated enforcement cameras and lower speed limits.

That emphasis on prevention aligns with the shift toward Vision Zero and Safe System principles, which prioritize identifying and addressing risk before severe crashes occur.

The reality is that many safety programs still rely heavily on crash histories to identify priorities. While crash data remains essential, it often tells us where problems have already occurred. Crash data does not necessarily show where the next serious incident is likely to happen. It also relies on a crash occurring leaving a reactive versus a proactive approach to safety.

As agencies shift from reactive to proactive planning through initiatives like the Safe System Approach and SS4A funded programs, many turn to more timely insights to help identify elevated risk before crashes occur.

Action 1: Complement Historical Crash Data with New Data Sources

Crash records are an important starting point, but they represent only a portion of the safety picture.

Many corridors exhibit signs of elevated risk long before a fatal or serious injury crash appears in official records. Vehicle speeds, hard braking patterns, roadway design characteristics, and changes in travel behavior can all provide valuable clues about emerging safety concerns.

Communities that look beyond historical crash counts are often better equipped to identify potential issues earlier and prioritize interventions more effectively.

Action 2: Prioritize Risk, Not Just Volume

High-traffic locations naturally receive attention, but traffic volume alone doesn’t determine pedestrian risk.

The most effective safety programs evaluate how vehicles are moving through a corridor, how pedestrians interact with the roadway, and whether roadway conditions contribute to unsafe behaviors. This broader view helps agencies focus resources on locations where interventions can have the greatest safety impact.

Action 3: Make Funding Decisions More Defensible

Whether developing a Transportation Improvement Program, pursuing Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding, or advancing a Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, agencies are increasingly expected to justify project prioritization with objective evidence.

A stronger understanding of risk allows staff to build more compelling business cases, communicate priorities more clearly, and demonstrate why certain locations deserve immediate attention.

Action 4: Measure What Happens After the Project

Safety doesn’t end when construction begins.

One of the biggest opportunities is evaluating whether improvements are delivering the outcomes they were designed to achieve. How are speeds decreasing? Have risky driving behaviors changed? Are corridor conditions improving over time?

By continuously monitoring performance, agencies can validate investments and create a feedback loop that strengthens future planning and design decisions.

Action 5: Build a More Connected Safety Ecosystem

The complexity of pedestrian safety requires collaboration across multiple disciplines.

Engineers, planners, researchers, public agencies, and private-sector partners all bring unique perspectives and data sources to the table. The strongest safety programs increasingly combine these perspectives to create a more complete understanding of risk and opportunity.

“We are encouraged by the progress reflected in this report. But the data also reinforces how continued public and private sector collaboration is vital to improve safety for all, especially pedestrians. We believe that integrating advanced analytics can help identify risk patterns earlier and enable more targeted interventions.”
— Anderson Abernathy, President & COO, Michelin Mobility Intelligence

That collaboration is increasingly important as agencies seek to move from reactive safety management to proactive risk reduction. Mobility and telematics insights, when combined with traditional transportation datasets, can help reveal patterns that may not appear in crash reports alone – supporting more informed planning, engineering, and operational decisions.

The Bottom Line

GHSA’s latest report provides positive momentum and measurable progress. But progress alone won’t achieve the long-term goal of safer streets for everyone.

Communities that continue reducing pedestrian fatalities will take a more proactive approach. One that combines historical outcomes with forward-looking risk indicators, stronger collaboration, and continuous measurement.

The good news? The tools, data, and partnerships needed to make that shift are more accessible than ever.

Ready to learn how leading agencies are identifying pedestrian risk before crashes happen?

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