Increasing Pedestrian Injuries in Florida
Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Miami are just some of the cities on the list of 20 deadliest cities for pedestrians across America, according to the Dangerous by Design 2021 report by Smart Growth America. Nine other cities in Florida also made it on the list.
What’s more, between January and October 2021 in Florida, there have been 7,281 pedestrian crashes, resulting in 5,576 pedestrian injuries and 611 deaths. Not to mention these fatal pedestrian crashes that occurred around Florida earlier this month:
- A pedestrian was struck and killed after he walked in front of a pickup truck while attempting to cross Hillsborough Avenue.
- A pedestrian was hit and killed by a pickup truck driver at a busy Town ‘n’ Country intersection.
- A pedestrian was struck and killed in Tampa’s MLK Boulevard.
- A pedestrian died after a pedestrian vs. vehicle crash in Jackson County.
Why Pedestrian Accidents Are on The Rise
According to the Dangerous by Design 2021 report, an alarming number of places still don’t have the essential safety measures to make walking safe. Some streets don’t have crosswalks, while others don’t give older adults sufficient time to cross safely. Likewise, needlessly wide street lanes filled with crosswalks and destinations that have too-wide spaces encourage speeding, which is a huge contributing factor to traffic accidents.
Streets with wide turning lanes also enable vehicles to make right turns at crosswalks at very high speeds. Put simply, street design prioritizes speedy movement of vehicle traffic at the expense of other road users’ safety. Unfortunately, these are widely accepted and adopted roadway design practices that actively put pedestrians’ lives at risk. These design rules likewise set up drivers to fail by increasing their risk of making errors, often with fatal consequences, even if they try to follow the road rules.
Furthermore, according to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, there’s also a nationwide surge in pedestrian crashes and deaths, even amidst the pandemic. The report also found that likely culprits included aggressive driving tactics, distracted driving, drugged and/or drunk driving, and speeding. These factors, along with road design issues that prioritized motor vehicles rather than walking or bicycling, contributed to pedestrian crashes as well.
Reach Out to a Skilled Tampa Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today
When you have been involved in a pedestrian accident because of another person or entity’s negligent actions, it is recommended to seek legal counsel to learn about the best legal options for your case. Depending on the particular circumstances of the accident and resulting injuries, you might have a claim against the liable party, which could be a person, a business, or government entity, and their insurance provider.
No one expects to get into a pedestrian crash while they’re out for a leisurely walk, jog, or bike ride, but unexpected things happen every single day. If you or a loved one has been struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian, the dedicated Tampa pedestrian accident attorneys of Matthews Injury Law are prepared to uphold your legal right to collect fair and full compensation for your accident-related damages. Give us a call at 813-530-1000 today or contact us online to arrange your free case evaluation.