Houston Pedestrian Deaths Hit Five-Year High In 2024

HOUSTON, Texas (TXAN 24) — Houston recorded 121 pedestrian fatal crashes in 2024, the highest annual total in the five-year period from 2020 through 2024, according to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

The 2024 total represents a 49.4% increase from Houston’s 2020 baseline of 81 pedestrian fatalities.

Houston recorded 529 pedestrian fatalities over the five-year period, an average of 105.8 deaths annually. The city had the second-highest raw annual pedestrian fatality count among the cities examined in the study.

On a population-adjusted basis, Houston recorded a pedestrian fatality rate of 4.43 deaths per 100,000 residents, approximately 1.2 times the national average, according to the analysis.

Houston was also one of five cities in the study where pedestrian deaths reached their highest point in 2024 rather than an earlier year.

New York recorded 141 pedestrian fatalities in 2024, while Dallas reported 76. Charlotte recorded 35 and Baltimore recorded 25.

The Houston numbers come as pedestrian safety remains a major concern in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, where a combination of major roadways, high traffic volumes and extensive development creates challenges for people traveling on foot.

The analysis used data from NHTSA’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System to compare pedestrian fatality trends across major U.S. cities.

For Houston, the 2024 numbers show the city’s pedestrian fatality problem worsening rather than improving compared with its 2020 baseline.

Source: https://yubalaw.com/