Fatal accidents: Pedestrians in traffic: 130 years after the first fatality
The accident happened at walking speed. Nevertheless, Bridget Driscoll died on 17 August 1896 as the first pedestrian under the wheels of a car. Where pedestrians are still endangered today.
Bridget Driscoll, 44, died in London on August 17, 1896, after being hit by a car driven by Arthur Edsall, who had been driving for only three weeks. The incident is considered the first recorded death of a pedestrian in a car accident. Globally, nearly 1.2 million people die in traffic accidents every year, with the African WHO region having the highest rate in 2021.
In 2025, there were approximately 19,400 road traffic deaths in the European Union and around 2,800 in Germany, where people over 65 were disproportionately represented among the victims.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
