More NC pedestrians died in the first half of 2020, even with fewer cars on the road Richard Stradling, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) May 20—RALEIGH — The number of pedestrians struck and killed in North Carolina rose during the first half of 2020, even as the coronavirus pandemic reduced traffic. Through June of last year, 121 people were killed while on foot along the state's roads and highways, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Governors Highway Safety Association. That's up 11% from the 109 pedestrians killed in North Carolina during the same period the year before. The increase came at a time when stay-at-home orders and the closure of businesses and schools kept many from driving. Traffic dropped 30% to 50% in the state's metro areas last March and April compared to pre-pandemic levels in mid-February, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation, and remained lower than normal through the summer.