For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers. Why Are Pedestrian Deaths at Epidemic Levels? While the rest of the developed world has made progress in reducing the number of pedestrians killed by vehicles, America continues to move in the wrong direction. Author Angie Schmitt talks about root causes and solutions. July 23, 2021 • (absolut/Shutterstock) The United States is an extremely auto-centric nation. In even the most urban areas, it is often difficult to live without access to a personal automobile. Multi-lane highways cut through dense neighborhoods, dividing residents from amenities and turning a run to the convenience store into a death-defying race. For many Americans, this is just the way the world works.