Data

Fatalities from traffic collisions, particularly those involving pedestrians and bicyclists, are a significant and growing public crisis in Los Angeles County. Over the past decade (2015-2024), fatalities from traffic collisions in unincorporated communities of LA have been and continue to be high with an average of 88 deaths per year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic fatalities jumped dramatically in these communities consistent with what occurred nationwide (2020 Fatality Data Show Increased Traffic Fatalities During Pandemic | NHTSA).

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found speeding, not using seatbelts, and impaired driving to be main contributors to the increase compared to pre-pandemic times (The Pandemic’s Tenacious Grip on Traffic Safety – AAA Newsroom).

Characteristics of Fatalities from Traffic Collisions in Unincorporated Communities of Los Angeles in the past decade (2015-2024):

• Most fatalities occurred among drivers (53.5%).
• Pedestrians made up almost 30% of the fatalities.
• Passenger fatalities doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to pre- and post- pandemic levels.
• Nearly 30 bicyclists have been killed.
  
  

Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian Fatalities in Unincorporated Los Angeles by Age 2015-2024

Data from Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, University of California, Berkeley. 2026
*Data from 2024 is provisional and subject to change

• Fatalities among seniors (60 and older) made up 38.7% of the total pedestrian fatalities over the 10-year period. Fatalities among senior increased by 45% between 2022-2023
  
• Pedestrian fatalities were second highest among individuals aged 40-59 years (33.2%)
• 20–39-year-olds made up almost 25% of the fatalities. The fatalities among 20–39-year-olds doubled between 2019-2020.
  
• Pedestrian fatalities mainly occurred in the evening hours between 6-11:59 pm.

Day and Time of the Week of Fatal Collisions involving a Pedestrian
Unincorporated Los Angeles County 2015-2024


Data from Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, University of California, Berkeley. 2026
*Data from 2024 is provisional and subject to change

Hit-and-Runs

Nationally, one in four pedestrian deaths is the result of a hit-and run crash (Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2024 Preliminary Data, Governors Highway Safety Association). In unincorporated LA, of the reported collisions, hit-and-run crashes have been responsible for 30% of pedestrians killed between 2015-2024. This proportion has been as high as nearly half of the pedestrian fatalities in 2016 and 40% in 2018, 2022, and 2023. Hit-and-Runs were also a major contributor of fatalities among bicyclists. Hit-and-run crashes can multiply the severity of injuries or lead to fatality by delaying or denying post-crash medical care, a critical element of the Safe System Approach.

Proportion of Hit-and Run Fatalities among Bicyclists in
Unincorporated Communities of Los Angeles 2015-2024


*There were no fatalities among bicyclists in 2018.

Data from Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), Safe Transportation Research and Education Center, University of California, Berkeley. 2026