Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers Announces Analysis of Key Patterns in Chicago Pedestrian Crashes

Chicago, IL, USA, September 4th, 2026, FinanceWire

Analysis highlights when pedestrian crashes historically clustered in Chicago, alongside a decline in overall traffic deaths from 134 in 2023 to 109 in 2024.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today announced the release of an analysis examining when and how pedestrian crashes have occurred in Chicago, bringing together historical pedestrian-crash data with more recent city traffic-fatality figures to provide context for road-safety patterns across the city.

The analysis finds that pedestrian crashes have historically concentrated during specific periods of the day and week. It also places those patterns against more recent figures showing that overall traffic deaths declined in Chicago between 2023 and 2024, while pedestrians continued to account for a substantial share of fatalities.

Historical crash patterns show clear timing differences

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers' analysis draws on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Chicago Department of Transportation's 2011 Pedestrian Crash Analysis, which examined Chicago pedestrian-crash data from 2005 through 2009.

The historical analysis found that 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. was the highest-crash time window for pedestrians, followed by 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday recorded the most pedestrian crashes of any day of the week, while Saturday recorded the fewest.

The analysis also identified differences between weekday and weekend crashes. Twenty-one percent of weekend pedestrian crashes occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., compared with 16% of weekday crashes during the same period. These findings provide historical context rather than a measure of current crash timing.

Recent fatalities provide a current context

More recent Chicago figures show that road fatalities remain a significant issue despite an overall decline. According to figures attributed to the Chicago Department of Transportation 2024, 109 people died on Chicago roads in 2024, including 38 pedestrians, two cyclists, and 69 people traveling in vehicles. Pedestrians represented more than one-third of those road deaths.

The previous year, Chicago recorded 134 fatal traffic crashes in 2023, according to a Chicago Department of Transportation official cited during a City Council hearing. The comparison indicates a decline in overall traffic fatalities, but the 2024 pedestrian figure shows that vulnerable road users continued to represent a significant proportion of those deaths.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers' analysis does not treat the historical pedestrian-crash patterns as evidence of current-day behavior. Instead, the older NHTSA/CDOT findings establish a documented pattern in Chicago, while the newer fatality figures provide a more recent picture of the scale of road deaths.

What the analysis means for Chicago road users

The findings demonstrate why both timing and road-user type matter when examining traffic safety. A citywide fatality figure can show whether deaths are increasing or decreasing, but it does not necessarily explain when pedestrian crashes are most likely to occur.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is using the analysis to place Chicago's traffic-safety data in a clearer research context for people examining pedestrian risks, crash patterns, and injury claims.

Methodology 

The analysis is based on the NHTSA/Chicago Department of Transportation 2011 Pedestrian Crash Analysis, 2005 to 2009 crash data, a 2024 Chicago traffic-fatality figure attributed to CDOT, and a 2023 fatal-crash figure from a CDOT official reported by Block Club Chicago.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time of day are pedestrian crashes most common in Chicago?

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers' analysis of the NHTSA/CDOT historical data found that 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. was the highest-crash time window, followed by 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The underlying data covers 2005 to 2009, so this should be understood as a historical pattern rather than a current-year finding.

Which day of the week has the most pedestrian crashes in Chicago?

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers' analysis found that Thursday had the most pedestrian crashes in the historical NHTSA/CDOT dataset, while Saturday had the fewest. The dataset covers crashes recorded between 2005 and 2009.

How many Chicago traffic deaths involved pedestrians in 2024?

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers' analysis found that 38 of the 109 people who died on Chicago roads in 2024 were pedestrians, based on CDOT figures reported through secondary coverage. That means pedestrians accounted for more than one-third of recorded road deaths that year.

About Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a Chicago personal injury law firm combining specialized legal knowledge, extensive personal injury experience, and a client-focused approach to helping injury victims navigate complex claims and pursue compensation.

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