New Mexico and Florida are the most dangerous states for pedestrians in the U.S., according to a report by NGO Smart Growth America. The two U.S. metro areas with the highest average rates of pedestrian deaths are also located 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.
The data shows that states where pedestrians are most often killed in traffic are typically located in the American South and Southwest. Delaware is the only state not following this pattern and is the fifth 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 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. For 2021, the organization's preliminary estimate assumes that a record 7,300 people have been killed while walking in the country. This is in line with the Governors Highway Safety Associations' estimate of a 40-year high of pedestrian deaths that year. The trend did not let off in the first half of 2022, the latest point in time for which data exists.
The study also highlights that older people, poor people and people of color are killed while walking in higher numbers. In the time frame of the 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, the average annual death rate in the country was just 1.9 in 100,000 during these years. This is because poorer and marginalized communities most often live close to high-speed roadways and in places with inadequate pedestrian infrastructure.
