Florida is the #1 most dangerous state for pedestrians. Statistically, certain surprising situations are more likely to lead to pedestrian accidents. According a 2019 study, pedestrians should exercise caution in these five high-risk scenarios:
- Outside of Intersections: Contrary to expectations, only 25% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in or near an intersection. If you’re only being careful at crosswalks, you are only being safe 25% of the time.
- Local Roads and Highways: Only 22% of the total pedestrian fatalities occurred on residential and downtown streets. A much higher percentage (59%) happened on main roads that carry a city’s local and regional traffic.
- Nighttime: 76% of pedestrian fatalities occur after dark, and another 4% occur during dawn and dusk. All told, time of day and lighting conditions impact 80% of the total fatalities.
- Elderly More at Risk: Unfortunately, the 50+ population is overrepresented in pedestrian accident deaths. This age group, especially those 75+, is more likely to experience challenges seeing, hearing, or moving, further exacerbating the problem.
- Lower-Income Communities: Because low-income communities are less likely to have well-maintained sidewalks, marked crosswalks, and streets designed for pedestrian safety, they see a disproportionate number of pedestrian fatalities.
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