Hendrick Collision Terry Labonte

The Safest and Most Dangerous Places to be a Pedestrian

Many of us at Hendrick Collision Terry Labonte consider walking one of the safest activities around, and often walk for relaxation and exercise in Greensboro, NC. But, it might not be as safe as we originally thought. In some parts of the country, especially in areas with high traffic, walking can be extremely dangerous. Between 2005 and 2014, 46,149 people were hit and killed by a motor vehicle while they were walking, according to Smart Growth America. The organization conducted a study, “Dangerous by Design 2016,” to determine which parts of the U.S. were the most dangerous; the results may shock you. 

Most Unsafe Places to be a Pedestrian

According to the study, eight of the top 10 most dangerous places to be a pedestrian are in Florida. The state has been at the top of the list for the fourth consecutive year, with 5,142 pedestrian deaths from 2005-2014. Since the report was released, the Florida Department of Transportation implemented a “Complete Streets” policy to help reduce the number of deaths. The agency has worked to change how roads are built, while local communities are putting policies in place to help make the streets safer overall.

Other top dangerous states for pedestrians include Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico.

With U.S. pedestrian traffic on the rise, Liberty Mutual Insurance released the Liberty Mutual Insurance Pedestrian Safety Index in 2014 to rank the safest pedestrian cities across the country.

What does it take to be one of the safest places? According to the report, good city planning and legislation are key. The survey found that technology is also key factor in distracted pedestrian and driving behaviors. The top cities were found to have laws in place that address these behaviors as well as better infrastructure that helps protect pedestrians.   

Safest Places to be a Pedestrian

Seattle, Washington: As of 2014, there have been less than 10 pedestrian fatalities every year in this city that has more than 108,000 residents. Some of the programs that put Seattle at the top of the list include the “Safest Route to School” program, which brought about new crosswalks, school zone speed cameras, and the “Be Super Safe” campaign that focuses on eliminating driving behaviors considered dangerous.

Boston, Massachusetts: With traffic-monitoring cameras, public safety signs and the retiming of traffic signals, the city is known for being proactive in addressing pedestrian safety.

Washington D.C.:  Programs have been implemented by the Washington D.C. Department of Transportation that help the flow of vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. This has resulted in the reduction of traffic injuries and accidents.

San Francisco, California: Mayor Ed Lee introduced a Pedestrian Strategy in 2014 to help decrease the number of pedestrian traffic deaths. This included repairing some of San Francisco’s most dangerous places to walk.

New York, New York: According to the study, since 2004, New York has had the lowest number of traffic deaths since 1910. This is the result of the New York City Department of Transportation focusing on education, stronger regulations, better street markings and signage and red light cameras.

Sources: Smart Growth America, NY Times and Wall Street Journal