Whether you live in a bustling metropolis or in a quiet community, there’s always the potential risk of being injured as a pedestrian. Whether you’re walking to work, exercising with your family, or taking your dog for a nighttime stroll, you, as a pedestrian, are at risk of being struck by a motorist who is either inattentive or engaging in other reckless behavior.
According to Ronald Jebaily, a Myrtle Beach injury attorney, pedestrians are at a greater risk of sustaining severe injuries due to the simple fact that they have no protection when they are struck by a vehicle, even at low speeds. This means that many pedestrian accidents lead to severe injuries or even death.
As a pedestrian, there are ways to reduce your chance of being struck by a motorist. Edwin S. Booth, a personal injury attorney in Virginia Beach,explains that you can do things like wearing reflective gear at night and avoiding jaywalking, in order to minimize your chances of being involved in a pedestrian accident.
Another way to reduce your chances of being involved in a pedestrian accident is to know your city. If it is dangerous for pedestrians, you can figure out why and avoid walking in areas where people tend to be injured.
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The Most Dangerous U.S. Cities For Pedestrians
According to St. Louis, MO Pedestrian accident injury lawyer, Brent Sumner, there are nearly 5,000 fatal pedestrian accidents in the U.S. every year, but where are these fatal accidents happening? According to Smart Growth America, the following U.S. cities have the most pedestrian fatalities. Read on to see if yours is on the list:
Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater
Research reveals that between 2005 and 2014 there were 821 pedestrian deaths in this area of Florida. Although Florida is a well-known place for retired individuals, there’s a large community of people who are low-income and their only transportation option is walking, which make them at greater risk of an accident.
Elderly individuals are also at risk since they may not be able to drive and as a pedestrian, they may walk more slowly or have impaired eyesight.
Even when individuals use designated crosswalks, there’s no guarantee that they are safe from motorists.
Jacksonville, Orlando, Kissimmee, and Sanford
There were 379 pedestrian deaths during the period of the study the Florida city and the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida area had 575 total pedestrian fatalities.
Cape Coral-Fort Myers and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville
The Cape Coral-Fort Myers area had a total of 165 pedestrian deaths in the nine-year period, and the Florida cities of Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville had 142 fatalities in the same period.
Other Areas in Florida
Several areas in Florida are some of the most dangerous places of pedestrians, and other cities include:
- Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach: 191 fatalities
- Lakeland-Winter Haven: 161 fatalities
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton: 150 fatalities
Memphis, TN and Jackson, MS
Memphis, Tennessee is a popular destination for tourists, but it also has “high risk” demographics for pedestrian fatalities. Between 2005 and 2014, there were 246 pedestrian deaths as a result of accidents involving a motorist.
During the same period, there were 109 pedestrian deaths in Jackson, Mississippi.
While the most dangerous cities for pedestrians are in the south, and the majority are located in Florida, you are at risk where ever you live. Even when pedestrians have the “right of way,” you should never assume that a motorist will see you or follow the rules of the road. Always be on the lookout for motorists and use crosswalks whenever possible.
If you are hit by a motorist while walking, you may want to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer. If you were following the crosswalk signals, then the driver was likely at fault for the accident. As Houston accident lawyer Tim Tate explains, you shouldn’t have to deal with the stress of an injury that wasn’t your fault while dealing with piles of medical bills and the inability to return to work. If you’ve been hit by a motorist, you should seek help.
