The United States has a problem with traffic safety.

Over the last decade, pedestrian death rates in high-income countries decreased by nearly 30%.

Meanwhile, the number of pedestrians struck and killed by vehicles in the U.S. jumped 70% between 2010 and 2023.

That's according to a new analysis by the Washington Post.

And pedestrians are still being killed with alarming frequency with thousands more injured each year.

This in spite of the adoption of traffic safety initiatives like Vision Zero and cities across

the country. So why have our roads become so much more dangerous for pedestrians and what can we

do to make them safer? We get into it after the break. I'm Jen White. You're listening to the

1A podcast. Stay with us. We've got a lot to get to.

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Joining us in studio to talk about it is Ian Duncan. He's a reporter at the Washington Post

covering federal transportation agencies and the politics of transportation. He and his colleagues

recently published an investigation titled The Deadliest Roads in America. Ian, welcome to the program.

Thanks for having me.

Also with us is Gabe Klein.

He's founder of Adapt Impact.

That's a consulting business advising companies and governments on urban innovation,

public-private partnerships, and change management.

He's also former transportation chief for Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Gabe, welcome back to the program. Thanks for having me, Jen. And Beth Osborne. She's president and CEO of Smart Growth America. She served in the U.S. Department of Transportation as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation under President Obama. Beth, welcome to 1A. Glad to be here. And we want to hear from you.

Have you or a loved one been struck by an automobile while on foot?

Do you live near a notoriously dangerous intersection?

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