Rose Hammond pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts youth sports leagues.
Despite the health benefits of walking, only 2.2% of Americans walk to work.
As the federal government tries to promote walking and walkable cities, one major obstacle they have identified is road safety. Unfortunately, this is a valid concern as pedestrian fatalities have almost doubled since 2009.
#1: Pedestrian fatalities have increased by 80% since 2009
While there was a steady decline in pedestrian fatalities from 1995 to 2009, the trend has reversed and pedestrian fatalities are now at an all-time high.
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#3: The most dangerous roads are not in big cities or counties
Even when looking at total pedestrian fatalities (and not per capita), only three of the top 10 most populated counties appear on the top 10 list of most dangerous roads. In fact, four of the most dangerous roads in the country are in counties with populations under 1 million residents.
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#4: Memphis, Tennessee is the most dangerous large city for pedestrians
Among large cities with a population over 350k, Memphis, Tennessee, is the most dangerous city for pedestrians with 65 pedestrian fatalities per 100k.
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#5: New Mexico is the most dangerous state for pedestrians
Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Delaware round out the top 5.
Methodology
Fatal accident statistics were sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Large cities were defined as cities with a population of over 350,000; mid-size cities with populations from 150,000-350,000; and small cities with populations under 150,000.
