October is Pedestrian Safety Month

The Council is recognizing October as Pedestrian Safety Month in the City of Boston and supporting continued investments in pedestrian safety infrastructure and policy. During this week's Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution encouraging Bostonians to look out for neighbors traveling on foot and supporting additional efforts to make Boston's streets safer for pedestrians and all commuters.

Since 2015, incidents reported to Boston EMS involving pedestrians struck by vehicles have broadly decreased, reflecting progress from pedestrian safety initiatives. However, 247 pedestrians were struck by vehicles during the first half of 2026, demonstrating the need for continued improvements to pedestrian safety measures.

In 2017, Boston changed its default speed limit from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour to help make the city safer for people of all ages and abilities and to support the goals of Vision Zero Boston. The resolution also notes that more than 20 percent of all traffic fatalities in Massachusetts in 2025 involved a pedestrian, with nearly 70 percent of those crashes occurring on municipally owned roads.

The resolution highlights the disproportionate danger faced by older pedestrians. In 2025, 40 percent of people killed while walking in Massachusetts were 65 years old or older.

Pedestrian safety infrastructure can include speed humps, raised crosswalks and intersections, narrowed streets, lighting, and signage. The resolution notes that community members, civic organizing groups, and elected officials have called for continued improvements through infrastructure changes, traffic management, and enforcement of existing traffic laws.

The Council's recognition of Pedestrian Safety Month reflects its support for continued and additional investments in pedestrian safety infrastructure and policy and its commitment to building streets that are safer for all commuters, particularly pedestrians.