Source: adapted from D.C. Richards (2010) Relationship between Speed and Risk of Fatal Injury: Pedestrians and Car Occupants, Department for Transport: London, Transport Research Laboratory.
The probability of a pedestrian fatality in the event of a collision can be related to many factors, but the speed of the vehicle is by far the most significant. Any impact taking place at a speed above 60 km per hour results in a dramatic increase in the probability of a fatality. Any collision with a pedestrian taking place at more than 80 km per hour is almost certain to result in a fatality.