From 2011-2021, the number of pedestrians struck and killed by cars in Connecticut more than doubled, due in part to a combination of larger and heavier cars, higher speeds and distracted drivers.

Department of Transportation officials and advocates for improving roads for biking and walking agree on the causes: People are driving larger and heavier vehicles such as SUVs, which cause more injuries; people are driving those cars faster and more recklessly because, especially during the pandemic, there has been less fear of being pulled over; and many of the state’s roads, particularly in urban areas, aren’t designed for increased pedestrian traffic.

Read more: As pedestrian deaths rise in CT, state looks for ways to curb the drivers