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Forbes Lifestyle Cars & Bikes How Safe Is Your State For Pedestrians? Let’s Hope It’s Better Than New Mexico… Michael Harley Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Michael Harley is an author and a noted automotive industry expert. Following May 31, 2023, 01:38am EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Nashville closes a popular downtown road to protect pedestrians from vehicles. ©2023 Schnell Auto, LLC A new study released by The Fitch Law Firm analyzed a decade of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data to reveal the most dangerous states for pedestrians. New Mexico, which ranks just 46 th in population density, was the deadliest, with 3.20 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. Over the years measured from 2011 to 2020, New Mexico’s pedestrian death rate doubled — there were 83 deaths in 2018 and 2019, the state’s worst years. Florida earned a second-place podium finish, with 2.97 deaths per 100,000 people. Sadly, as the state is much more populated than New Mexico, Florida saw 6,106 pedestrian fatalities during the decade study. The only other state on the podium was Delaware, averaging 2.87 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people during the period — there were 36 deaths in 2015, the state’s worst year. Rounding out the top 10 states for the most pedestrian deaths — a list that nobody wants to be part of — were eighth-place Mississippi (2.18 per 100,0000), ninth-place California (2.15 deaths per 100,000), and Texas (2.04 per 100,000). A spokesperson for The Fitch Law Firm said, “Pedestrians are some of the most vulnerable road users, they have no protection from the impact of the car, and they are often killed or seriously injured in crashes.” According to official figures from the NHTSA, pedestrian crashes accounted for 17 percent of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. in 2023 (in 2019, a recent year where figures are available, 6,205 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents). But there is some good news on the other side of the chart — the safest cities for pedestrians. Leading the best is Vermont, with a pedestrian death rate of just .48 per 100,000 residents. Kansas (.55 per 100,000) and North Dakota (.66 per 100,000) were the second and third safest, respectively. MORE FOR YOU There’s Something Fishy About ‘The Little Mermaid’ Audience Review Scores — Update — The Critics Must Be Crazy Here Is The Leaked Allegedly Final MCU Fantastic Four Cast It s A Big Deal Crypto Suddenly Braced For A Huge China Earthquake After Bitcoin Ethereum BNB XRP Cardano Dogecoin Polygon And Solana Price Swings Looking at the data objectively, Midwest and Northeast pedestrians are safer than South and West pedestrians. This can be attributed to weather — mild climates encourage pedestrians to walk or bike, while cold temperatures keep people inside and off the streets. Unfortunately, says Autoinsurance.org , the studies also reveal that pedestrians in low-income communities are most at risk because of inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, health issues, or poor mobility. States may lower their pedestrian death rates by implementing safety strategies to reduce the risk to those walking, running, or biking. These include redesigning dangerous intersections, improving lighting, using speed cameras to slow traffic, and dedicating special areas to pedestrian and bicycle paths. But, of course, safety begins with the pedestrian — avoid distractions and always look both ways before crossing a street. Follow me on LinkedIn . Check out some of my other work here . Michael Harley Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions
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