According to a report by NGO Smart Growth America, the states considered to be the most dangerous ones for pedestrians in the United States are New Mexico and Florida. The two metro areas in the U.S. with the highest average rates of pedestrian deaths are also situated in these states. South Carolina, with the top 5 most dangerous metro to pedestrians, is the only other state that counted an annual average of more than 3 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 of population between 2016 and 2020.
It is visible form the data that states where pedestrians are most frequently killed in traffic are usually located in the American South and Southwest. The only state that does not follow this pattern is Delaware and is placed on fifth position for being most dangerous for pedestrians in the nation at almost 2.9 people per 100,000 inhabitants killed on average in recent years. Smart Growth America believes this is because Southern and Southwestern metros are more likely to be designed for cars rather than for a variety of road users. For example, these cities experience more sprawl, which is again linked to more pedestrian deaths.
According to the Infographic, the number of pedestrian
deaths has been steadily rising in the United States, to more than 6,500 people
in 2020 - up from around 5,500 in 2015. For 2021, the organization's initial
estimate assumes that a record 7,300 people have been killed while walking in
the country. This is in accordance with the Governors Highway Safety
Associations' estimate of a 40-year high of pedestrian deaths that year. The
trend did not set off in the first half of 2022, as it is the latest point in
time for which data exists.
The study highlights one more perspective, that a big chunk
of the deaths involved poor people, older people and people of color while
walking in higher numbers. During the time frame of this study, an average of
4.2 in every 100,000 Native Americans and 3.0 in every 100,000 Black Americans
died in such a way every year. In comparison to these figures, the average
annual death rate in the country was just 1.9 in 100,000 during these years. The
reason behind this would be the fact that poorer and marginalized communities
most often live close to high-speed roadways and in places with poor pedestrian
infrastructure.
