Attention: NSW Caretaker Period has commenced. The caretaker period for the NSW Election commenced on 3 March 2023.  Accordingly, no ministerial press releases or related information issued by the Government from this date will be available on this website.   For copies of recently issued ministerial press releases or information on the election policies of any political party as they relate to this department/agency or its portfolio area, please go directly to the website of the relevant political party.

Centre for Road Safety

  1. NSW Centre for Road Safety
  2. Staying safe
  3. Pedestrians
  4. Vulnerable pedestrians

Vulnerable pedestrians

Tread carefully

In the five years from 2015 to 2019, about one in six people killed on the road was a pedestrian. Of all crashes in which a pedestrian is killed, more than a quarter occur between 5pm and 9pm.

Pedestrian injuries, particularly in the Sydney metropolitan area, peak during the mid-morning (8am to 10am) and mid to late afternoon (2pm to 7pm). Pedestrian fatalities are more likely to occur on Thursdays and Fridays, while injuries are more prevalent across the weekdays rather than on weekends.

Male pedestrians and child pedestrians aged between 13 and 16 years are particularly at risk of being killed and injured in crashes, while elderly (70+ years) pedestrians also have a higher risk of being killed.

Older pedestrians

Walking safely and crossing the road has more information on how we can make safe choices and take extra care as we get older.

Alcohol and pedestrians

The Centre for Road Safety supports the Pedestrian Council of Australia's Never let a mate walk home drunk campaign.

The supporting video warns of the high number of pedestrians with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.15 per cent who are killed on our roads.

  • Alcohol slows brain functions, reduces judgement, increases risk taking, affects sense of balance and increases sleepiness. Alcohol reduces your ability to judge the speed and distance of vehicles.
  • All pedestrians impaired by alcohol are at risk
  • Young males are particularly over-represented in alcohol-affected pedestrian deaths
  • The majority of alcohol-related pedestrian deaths occur at night
  • Just as with drink drivers, the majority of alcohol-affected pedestrians are killed in peak social drinking times – between Thursday night and Sunday morning

If you plan to drink, make sure you have organised a way to get home safely:

  • Use trains and buses: Transport info website
  • Organise a lift
  • Book a taxi or mini-bus
  • Stay overnight at a place nearby
  • Wear bright, light clothes at night so you are more visible to drivers and riders