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Walking in Florida? You're apparently in danger, study says

By Kevin Williams
By Kevin Williams

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Washington research firm says the Sunshine State – and specifically Central Florida – tops the list of most dangerous places for pedestrians.

Smart Growth America said the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area tops the list of most dangerous metro areas in the country for people walking.

In fact, 8 of the 10 most dangerous areas are in Florida. Half of those are in Central Florida.

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The study researched the number of pedestrian deaths from 2008 to 2017 and annual pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people.

Researchers said more than 49,000 people across the U.S. were killed while walking between 2008 and 2017.

“To put that into perspective, it’s the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of people crashing—with no survivors—every month,” the group said.

In Central Florida, the group said 656 pedestrians in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area were killed during that 10-year period.

Rank Metro Area Pedestrian deaths
(2008-2017)		 Annual pedestrian fatalities
per 100,000 people
1 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 656 2.82
2 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 212 3.45
3 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 165 2.94
4 North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 194 2.58
5 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 162 2.54
6 Jacksonville, FL 419 2.94
7 Bakersfield, CA 247 2.83
8 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 148 2.83
9 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 900 3.07
10 Jackson, MS 111 1.92

*Source: Smart Growth America / Dangerous By Design 2019

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach region came in at #14 on the list.

"In the past decade, the number of people struck and killed while walking increased by 35 percent," researchers said. "Though fatalities decreased ever so slightly in 2017, the last two years on record (2016 and 2017) were the most deadly years for people killed by drivers while walking since 1990."

The study blames an increase in miles traveled by vehicle, a slight increase in walking, high speeds, and roads that are not well-designed for pedestrians.

BELOW: Interactive map showing deadly pedestrian accidents from 2008-2017

Pedestrian Fatalities, 2008-2017

Map created by completestreets in CARTO

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