Most dangerous States for pedestrians infographic

[mk378]

IME, the further out from a metro area, the more drivers think their vehicles have a right of way over pedestrians so area does matter. The more there's local pedestrian and biker traffic, the more vehicle traffic will actually yield to pedestrians.

Yes looking at the NC data, most pedestrian fatalities are outside cities. Higher vehicle speed also likely contributes to that.

"Driver distracted by cell phone" is a reporting category but relatively few crashes are reported that way. Both incident and fatality rates were higher decades ago before cell phones existed.

 

[Fla]

My wife is always commenting on how many people around here get hit by cars,so I found this infographic interesting.

They say Florida, New Mexico and South Carolina are worst, so I guess she is right.

"According to the source, pedestrian deaths have been climbing steadily in the United States to more than 6,500 people in 2020 - up from around 5,500 in 2015."

Infographic: New Mexico and Florida Most Dangerous States for Pedestrians

This chart shows average annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people in U.S. states and the most affected metro areas (2016-2020).

www.statista.com

The title should be: "Which states have the most idiot pedestrians that walk out in front of vehicles without looking and get hit". or "Which state has the most pedestrians not using the clearly marked cross walks and walking out in front of cars in mid-block and getting hit".

Florida is the clear winner in both catagories. I see why, literally every time, that I drive past the nearby university.

 

[Fla]

Drug and alcohol use and sunshine and higher property crime rate have some correlation.

Except you left out pedestrian accdents. But I can tell you for a fact that drugs and alcohol are frequently involved. Here in florida, we've had a good number of intoxicated people that laid down on the RR tracks and went to sleep. With fatal consequences. The same kind of idiots also walk out in front of cars and are sometimes driving cars. But when I hear of a pedestrian getting run over at 2AM in the morning in the middle of the block (not at a cross walk) on a very busy road it's not hard to guess what happened.

 

[brianl703]

Yes looking at the NC data, most pedestrian fatalities are outside cities. Higher vehicle speed also likely contributes to that.

As does the tendency for a lack of sidewalks or, (often in Virginia), even a shoulder.

 

[dishdude]

Thick pillars and high beltlines have made seeing out of modern cars a bit more difficult, there are a lot more blind spots than there used to be.

Also agree pedestrians are pretty irresponsible, I see a lot of jaywalkers and people crossing mid block.

 

[wemay]

This is probably related to the rampant disregard of traffic laws thread. Although when I was on the PD a lot of our ped strikes were people who were staggering blind drunk walking into traffic.

Same here

 

[97prizm]

Earpieces, headphones and phones are a big contributor. Just saw an ad for a new noise cancelling headphone, just what you need to block out the horn while your distracted jaywalking. Same applies to drivers, I've seen plenty of plugged in drivers.
Two wrongs don't make for many rights.

I think it was an Apple advertisement that I saw that seemed to push the idea of ipods cancelling everything around you.

 

[John105]

Just rode my bike ~ 5:45 AM EDT and encountered two people (separate incidents) jogging down the centerline of a double yellow. I wish I had a go pro but I’ve decided to treat them like a vehicle in case anything were to happen. This forced me onto the wrong side of the road.

One time two ladies had dogs and took up the entire roadway. When I went past one screamed at me. I’d like to think her friend thought that action was crazy.

 

[TiGeo]

Speeding. Distracted driving. Not understanding how to interact with pedestrians at intersections (or at all really...same goes for cyclists). Those all contribute here. Right on red in urban enviros is another one that leads to people getting hit.

Sure, many of the folks killed/injured are to blame but many aren't - the overall "screw you" attitude of many people today is at the heart of it b/c they don't want to be held up for 30 seconds to allow someone to cross, a safe pass of a cyclist, etc.

We just had a VCU student killed last week here in Richmond, VA b/c of a car crash that went onto the sidewalk where he was walking. I would suspect speeding was at play there.

 

[tmorris1]

It is the law that drivers have to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, but I always make dang sure that the driver sees me and intends to stop before I step onto the road. I see so many people just walk into a crosswalk (sometimes not a crosswalk) and expect drivers to stop. Sometimes with their heads down looking at their phone. They should stop, but they don't always and it isn't always safe for the driver to stop depending on traffic, and I am not willing to play chicken with a 4 - 80K lbs vehicle.

 

[Pablo]

All I know is the first warm sunny day here, accidents go UP.

 

[TiGeo]

It is the law that drivers have to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, but I always make dang sure that the driver sees me and intends to stop before I step onto the road. I see so many people just walk into a crosswalk (sometimes not a crosswalk) and expect drivers to stop. Sometimes with their heads down looking at their phone. They should stop, but they don't always and it isn't always safe for the driver to stop depending on traffic, and I am not willing to play chicken with a 4 - 80K lbs vehicle.

On a bike, eye contact with motorists is critical. Really in a car as well.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

My wife is always commenting on how many people around here get hit by cars,so I found this infographic interesting.

They say Florida, New Mexico and South Carolina are worst, so I guess she is right.

"According to the source, pedestrian deaths have been climbing steadily in the United States to more than 6,500 people in 2020 - up from around 5,500 in 2015."

Infographic: New Mexico and Florida Most Dangerous States for Pedestrians

This chart shows average annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people in U.S. states and the most affected metro areas (2016-2020).

www.statista.com

Tourists and/or people who aren't used to driving in high density areas. Charleston has a lot of narrow colonial streets and drivers are always irritated about the horrible traffic.

 

[IndyIan]

It is the law that drivers have to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, but I always make dang sure that the driver sees me and intends to stop before I step onto the road. I see so many people just walk into a crosswalk (sometimes not a crosswalk) and expect drivers to stop. Sometimes with their heads down looking at their phone. They should stop, but they don't always and it isn't always safe for the driver to stop depending on traffic, and I am not willing to play chicken with a 4 - 80K lbs vehicle.

On a bike, eye contact with motorists is critical. Really in a car as well.

Yep, this is what I teach my kids(and the wife sometimes), its great you do have the right of way, but you should make sure the driver coming up also knows that!
I do find a lot of drivers won't slow down a touch or leave a big of a margin for other road users, and I suppose this can vary a bit by area. Tourist season is starting in my area and some of the visitors don't drive respectfully at all, others have never seen farm equipment on road either it seems!

 

[wander2039]

I sure wouldn't count on eye contact as a measure they seen you. I've kicked that thought out of my head years ago, anymore I just assume they don't see me and I'm either already pausing or have a hands on the brake. I can't tell you how many times it's saved my bacon. As it was explained in the motorcycle safety course anything small doesn't pose a threat so drivers tend to look through it.

 

[PandaBear]

A lot of times the pedestrian cause their own problems, their parents didn't teach them not to run across a busy street or play in traffic.

I think a lot of it has to do with right turning on red too. At least around here I have seen a lot of coworkers in accidents because a large SUV driver couldn't see them (biking, pedestrian cross the street, etc).

 

[TiGeo]

I think a lot of it has to do with right turning on red too. At least around here I have seen a lot of coworkers in accidents because a large SUV driver couldn't see them (biking, pedestrian cross the street, etc).

My kids have to cross a large intersection on foot/bike when they go up to the local DQ/hangout. I tell him every time to watch the drivers making a right on red...most don't stop and they look to the left as they don't stop vs. looking for pedestrians.

 

[Bill7]

My wife is always commenting on how many people around here get hit by cars,so I found this infographic interesting.

They say Florida, New Mexico and South Carolina are worst, so I guess she is right.

"According to the source, pedestrian deaths have been climbing steadily in the United States to more than 6,500 people in 2020 - up from around 5,500 in 2015."

Infographic: New Mexico and Florida Most Dangerous States for Pedestrians

This chart shows average annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people in U.S. states and the most affected metro areas (2016-2020).

www.statista.com

There is another side to this issue. Many local cities are taking away major sections of roads from cars and building huge cement 1 foot high side walks in the middle of where the cars used to be able to drive. So instead of having 3 lanes each way, they reduce it to 1 lane each way for the car traffic. This causes massive bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. They also have been reducing speed limits on these roads from 40 MPH to 25 MPH. Then they put red light camera's on every intersection. It reaches a point where the interests of car drivers are getting marginalized. It's a hidden tax because they are getting huge tax revenue from these red light camera's on roads with 25 MPH speed limits.

Sadly, but in my opinion true, is that the pedestrians getting injured are not following the rules by waiting at a don't walk sign and then proceeding when it indicates walk. The pedestrians I see are crossing with the traffic signals against them.

 

[TiGeo]

It reaches a point where the interests of car drivers are getting marginalized.

Please. Drivers are never marginalized - pedestrians/cyclists in most areas are always treated like second class citizens b/c to be fair, they are a minority vs. drivers - read this thread. It's always their fault. They are high/drunk. They cross when they aren't supposed to. It could never be that folks in their cars are simply driving like crap/not paying attention and at times...are aggressive scumbags w/r to pedestrians/cyclists. I encourgage you to spend a few days cycling/walking around your area, crossing roads, etc. and see how your feelings on this issue change. I feel zero empathy for folks that have to wait a few more minutes and drive a few more mph slower so more folks can walk/bike safely in my community. We just went through this in Richmond - reducing speed limits, more and safer bike lanes, etc. etc.

 

[vavavroom]

Many people are a little dumb. What gets me is when a person standing curbside at a crosswalk, distracted by their phone, bae, or pooping dog, showing no sign of intention to cross, blindly and abruptly walks out into the crosswalk while I am about to enter or already have entered the crosswalk with my vehicle. By the same token, I see drivers who will not stop for pedestrians who clearly stare at oncoming traffic while having one of both feet already in the street. You could do the Macarena while waving a red flag and they wouldn't stop for you. And on a multilane road with crosswalks, one guy may actually stop but the drivers one lane over may keep going with the pedestrian getting stuck between two lanes. It's pretty nuts.