Report: Nine of the 27 most dangerous metro areas for pedestrians in the U.S. are in Florida

Florida’s well-documented reputation as one of the most dangerous states in the nation for pedestrians and cyclists is confirmed in a a study published this week by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition.

The document, “Dangerous by Design,” ranks Sunshine State the fifth most dangerous in the nation, with nine of the 27 deadliest metro areas in the country located here.

Tampa Bay ranks the eighth most dangerous metro area in the country and the most dangerous in Florida. Also:

• Palm Bay/Melbourne/Titusville region is 11th.
• Deltona/Daytona Beach/Ormond Beach is 14th.
• North Port/Bradenton/Sarasota is 15th.
• Jacksonville is 16th.
• Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Palm Beach County region is 17th.
• Lakeland-Winter Haven is 21st.
• Orlando/Kissimmee/Sanford is 25th.
• Cape Coral/Fort Myers is 27th.

It wasn’t all bad news, however. Beth Osborne, president and CEO of Smart Growth America, said that one of the places in the country to see real improvement when it comes to pedestrian safety was Orlando.

“They have shown one of the steepest declines in fatalities for pedestrians and they used to top our list repeatedly,” she said during a Zoom conference call to discuss the report. “It was a matter of leadership, both in terms of political leadership and leadership at their public works and transportation office that was able to articulate what they were trying to do and why they were trying to do it.”

Memphis ranks as the deadliest metro area in the nation for people walking, with a pedestrian fatality rate of 5.5 deaths per 100,000 residents — the highest pedestrian fatality rate observed by the authors since they began compiling these reports in 2009.

The report says there were 3,726 pedestrian fatalities in Florida between 2020 and 2024, the third most in the nation behind California (5,546) and Texas (3,865). However, Florida’s average pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 residents at 3.32 is superseded only by New Mexico, Louisiana, Arizona, and South Carolina.

A report published a year ago by the Bicycle Accident Lawyers group concluded that Florida remains the most dangerous state in the nation for bicyclists, looking at combined 2022 and 2023 data. There were another 207 bicycle fatalities in 2024, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

There have been 979 fatalities from all crashes so far in 2026, according to the agency.  There have been 3,414 bicycle crashes and 56 bicycle fatalities as of May 31. There have been 204 pedestrian fatalities.

The Florida Bicycle Association told the Phoenix last year that its top legislative goal going into the 2026 Florida legislative session was a comprehensive “Hands Free” law that would make it illegal to hold a phone while operating a motor vehicle.

The only safety-related bill to get any traction during the session was a “careless” driving bill that advocates said wouldn’t go far enough. It was heard in just one committee in the Florida House. Its Senate companion didn’t move at all.

‘Non-uniform cross walks’

A year ago after a new state law was passed, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) updated its Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to include a prohibition on “non-uniform traffic control devices,” such as pavement markings on crosswalks on state and local roads

The mandate to remove such designs was extremely controversial in several Florida cities, where officials removed LGBTQ Pride colors. Heidi Simon,  director of Thriving Communities with Smart Growth America, said removing such “proven safety measures” will likely result in unsafe conditions.

It’s not getting any safer for Florida’s bicyclists

After the Phoenix reported in December how Florida’s roads remain extremely dangerous for bicyclists, a spokesperson for FDOT responded in February that the agency “remains committed to get everyone home safely” through their Target Zero initiative, which focuses on the behaviors and conditions that lead to the most severe crashes and encompasses all road users.

“To protect pedestrians and bicyclists on Florida’s roads, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Safety Plan (PBSSP) was developed in 2013 and serves as a comprehensive 5-year plan that builds upon Florida’s 2021 Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), a statewide safety plan developed by FDOT and its safety partners as a framework for eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads,” said FDOT communications director Michael Williams in a statement sent to the Phoenix.

“The October 2021 update to the PBSSP is a continuation of FDOT’s commitment to prevent traffic crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists through goal-oriented decision-making, data-driven investments, and strategic resource allocation.

“A key strength of the PBSSP is its commitment to accountability. Current crash data and impacts of the PBSSP are reviewed quarterly by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Coalition and FDOT’s State Safety Office, allowing the coalition to monitor the effectiveness of its efforts and adjust strategies as needed. This approach ensures the plan remains dynamic, responsive, and grounded in real-world data.”

The report arrives just as legislation was introduced in Congress (H.R. 8870) called the BUILD America 250 Act that Smart Growth America says includes “few” major new investments aimed at improving pedestrian safety.