When comparing the national burden of pedestrian injuries from motor vehicles to that of pedestrian falls occurring on streets and sidewalks researchers found that the probability of a pedestrian suffering a severe injury is higher for motor vehicle collisions as compared to falls. Yet, the public health burden of the number of pedestrians injured from a fall — severe or otherwise — is significantly higher compared to the number of pedestrians injured by a motor vehicle collision. This is particularly true for individuals 50 years of age or older.
