Top 10 Deadliest Cities for Pedestrians: Study

A new study has found that 10 American cities are the deadliest places for pedestrians in the nation.

The National Complete Streets Coalition (NCSC), a branch of the neighborhood advocacy group Smart Growth America, released a study in May which compared total pedestrian deaths, annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents, and percentage of pedestrian commuters to come up with the most dangerous metro areas to walk in America.

So which cities are the deadliest for pedestrians?

Top 10 Deadliest Metro Areas for Pedestrians

1. Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida
2. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
3. Jacksonville, Florida
4. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
5. Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas-Mississippi
6. Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama
7. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas
8. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia
9. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Arizona
10. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, North Carolina-South Carolina

Strangely, most of these cities are in the South.

In addition to looking at all metro areas, the NCSC study also looked at large metro areas and pedestrian deaths, and found these five big cities to be the worst for walkers:

1. New York City-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, New York
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, California
3. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California
4. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
5. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area made both lists, giving Floridian walkers some room for worry.

Tips for City Pedestrians

If you happen to live in one of these metro areas, you aren't without options. Remember to:

• Remain alert. Like distracted driving, distracted walking injures thousands per year. When crossing the street, keep your head up and not glued to your phone.
• Don't jaywalk. Pedestrians can be at fault in car vs. pedestrian accidents, too. Crossing against the light and running into traffic are easy ways to be hit and potentially killed by
• Stay on the sidewalk. There aren't always sidewalks in some city areas, but where there are, please don't walk in the street. If there are bikes on the sidewalk, remind them it is meant for pedestrians.

If you've been involved in a pedestrian accident, regardless of what city you're in, contact a personal injury attorney if want to discuss compensation for any injuries or other losses.

Related Resources:

• These Are America's Deadliest Cities For Pedestrians (Buzzfeed)
• Study Uncovers Least Safe Cities for Walking (FindLaw's Injured)
• Pedestrian Safety: Cities, States Walking the Walk (FindLaw's Injured)
• Ride Service Uber Sued Over Girl's Death (FindLaw's Injured)