Newly released data shows Connecticut pedestrian fatalities rose in 2022, despite the state’s recent efforts to improve pedestrian safety. There were 62 pedestrians killed in Connecticut last year, an increase of 11 percent from the year before. The data also shows Connecticut has the highest pedestrian fatality rate in New England, at 1.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

The report from the Governors Highway Safety Association is a disappointment for Connecticut lawmakers, who in 2020 passed a new law designed to materially improve pedestrian safety. The law requires motorists to slow down or come to a stop if a pedestrian:

• Is within any part of a crosswalk
• Steps to the edge of a crosswalk and raises a hand to oncoming vehicles, indicating an intention to cross
• Signals an intention to cross by putting any part of the body or extension of the body into the crosswalk, including a cane, walking stick, crutch, stroller, cart, wheelchair or bicycle

Under the old law, drivers had to yield only if a pedestrian was already in a crosswalk, not at the edge or signaling an intent to cross. Drivers can be fined $500 if they fail to yield as the new law requires.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) attributes the increased number of pedestrian deaths to several factors, among them:

• The return of traffic to pre-pandemic levels
• More people walking and being active outside
• Proliferation of large SUVs and trucks, which are deadlier due to their size
• Increased use of smart phones while driving
• Increased numbers of people driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs

In response to the report, the DOT says it plans to instill a behavioral change on Connecticut roadways through safety pilot programs, grant funding, education campaigns and other measures. The agency is also recommending “road diets,” which are plans for changing the configuration of four-lane undivided highways to a three-lane setup with a through-lane on each side and a two-way left-turn lane in the middle.

Even as the state works to improve safety, people on foot remain vulnerable. Pedestrians who are injured by vehicles as well as the families of victims of fatal accidents deserve strong legal representation from a pedestrian accident lawyer. A personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against the driver, his or her insurer or even the municipality may be appropriate in order to recover fair compensation. 

At Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. in Hamden and East Haven, our attorneys have successfully represented pedestrians and their families injured in accident across Connecticut. Please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation.