Injuries/Violence
Demographic and Crash Characteristics Influencing the Place of Death in Pedestrian Fatalities Yoottapichai Phosri* Yoottapichai Phosri Ethan Morgan
Introduction: In the United States, pedestrian safety is a pressing public health concern, with an increasing number of fatalities since 2010. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of crash characteristics on the place of death for pedestrians fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes.
Methods: The analysis included single-motor vehicle crashes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database, 2021. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between crash characteristics and place of death, either on-site/en route or not on-site/en route, adjusting for demographic characteristics.
Results: Among those in the sample, 3,153 perished at the scene/en route and 2,787 perished after reaching hospital care, but still as a result of crash-related injuries. Compared to fatally injured, younger pedestrian adults, older pedestrian adults had significantly lower odds of dying at the scene or en route (65 years or over) (aOR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.98). Conversely, the odds of dying at the scene or en route increased for crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol (aOR = 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.88), vehicle speeds of 56 mph or higher (aOR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.11, 8.46), crashes occurring in dark condition with no road lighting (aOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 2.09, 2.98), and in non-intersection areas (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.67, 3.01), compared to those not under the influence of alcohol, vehicle speeds of 25 mph or less, crashes occurring during daylight hours, and intersections, respectively.
Conclusions: Among fatally injured pedestrians, older adults are less likely to die at the crash scene or en route, suggesting potentially greater survivability for this demographic. In contrast, factors such as drivers under the influence of alcohol, higher vehicle speeds, poor lighting conditions, and crashes occurring in non-intersection areas significantly increase fatality risks at the crash scene or en route. These findings emphasize high-risk scenarios that require targeted safety interventions and policy measures to ensure safer roads and communities. Future research should further explore the factors contributing to potential survivability, particularly in older adults, to help reduce fatalities.