How safe are pedestrians now?

Drivers traveled less frequently and for shorter distances during the COVID-19 pandemic, when offices closed and stay-at-home orders were enacted. But even as some limited their trips to essential travel, automobile fatalities stayed about the same.

Watkins said that the number of multicar crashes decreased during the pandemic, but there was a surge in single-car and high-speed crashes, which are more likely to be fatal.

“With the wide-open streets, people started driving very fast, very recklessly,” Watkins said.

8,730 people were killed in automobile fatalities in the U.S. between January and March of 2021 — an alarming 10.5% increase over the same period in 2020 — even though road miles traveled decreased by 2.1%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Pedestrian deaths increased nationwide by an “unprecedented” 55% between 2009 and 2018, Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said when he announced the state’s campaign to raise awareness for the new laws.

“And although we are seeing a small recent decrease, pedestrian fatalities recorded in 2018 and 2019 have not been this high since 1990,” Giulietti added.

Automobile accidents killed 63 pedestrians in Connecticut in 2020, up from 54 the year before, according to data provided by the transportation department. Accidents have killed 35 pedestrians through August this year.