Mercy Encourages Greater Awareness as Auto-Pedestrian Incidents Rise

JOPLIN, Mo. (July 29, 2025) – Mercy Hospital Joplin is hoping to draw attention to a troubling and significant increase in auto-pedestrian injuries across the region. In 2023, Mercy treated 12 patients for auto-pedestrian collisions. That number jumped to 28 in 2024, a 230% increase. In just the first quarter of this year, Mercy treated nine patients. If trends continue, that could mean well over 36 incidents by the end of 2025.

Mercy Joplin serves a 100-mile radius, and many of these injuries involve people from surrounding states and communities, not just Joplin city limits. This is a regional concern, and public awareness is key to reversing the trend. Most of these incidents tend to occur during the holiday shopping season and the warmer summer months, which means we’re entering the busiest time of year for them.

While intersections and crosswalks are sometimes where these incidents occur, pedestrians can be anywhere. A major concern is that even people doing everything right, waiting for the signal, crossing at the designated walkways can still be in danger. People often place too much trust in the light and not enough in their own awareness. The primary cause appears to be distraction. Additionally, Mercy caregivers believe that heat and weather may play a role in increasing the risk. Last summer’s extreme heat and dryness may have contributed to shorter tempers, more hurried actions and less willingness to yield or slow down. The importance of this awareness only increases as the community approaches the back-to-school season, when we know many students will also be walking or cycling to and from school.

“When you’re crossing at a crosswalk, be sure to check for cars coming from behind that might be turning right on a red light, said Libby Clark, trauma program manager at Mercy Joplin. “Drivers often don’t stop completely before turning and are usually focused on looking left for oncoming traffic, which means they might not see a pedestrian crossing on their right.”

Mercy is asking the public to please stay alert, slow down, and pay attention whether you are driving or walking. Practicing defensive walking: staying aware, avoiding distractions and not assuming drivers will stop can make a life-saving difference. These injuries are preventable and every effort counts toward keeping our communities safe.

Mercy, one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation’s largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 1,000 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 5,000 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 50,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2024 alone, Mercy provided nearly half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.