With the recent tragic pedestrian death on the FSU campus, the focus on pedestrian safety is making the rounds in the news cycle. And as is often the case, the reporting fails to provide proper context while highlighting a tragic event.
A recent headline by a local media outlet exclaimed, “Study reveals Leon County is one of top 3 in Florida with pedestrian-involved crashes.” The article indicated the “study” was conducted by a “personal injury attorney concern” based on data from 2019-2021.
The article added, the “report noted that 2.3% of crashes involved pedestrians in Leon County, however, it did not make the top 10 overall most dangerous counties for pedestrians in Florida.”
It seems the real headline was buried, “Leon County Does Not Make Top 10 Dangerous Counties for Pedestrians.”
Tallahassee Reports decided look into the issue of pedestrian safety by tabulating data from the Florida Division of Motor Vehicles related to pedestrian fatalities.
The table below compares the Leon county annual rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people during 2018-2023 to Florida, and other counties with similar populations. These counties include Alachua, St. Johns, & Escambia.
The data shows that during this six year period, there were 58 pedestrian deaths in Leon County which is 3.28 fatalities per 100,000 people per year. This is 7.0% below the state rate of 3.51, and 17.7% below Alachua (3.96) & 45.5% below Escambia (6.02).
St. Johns county had the lowest rate at 2.25 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people per year.
If you compare the percent change in the rate of fatalities from 2018-2020 to 2021-2023, the data shows that while the rate of fatalities increased 5.5% in Florida, the rate of fatalities decreased 9.6% in Leon County.
I grew up in Tallahassee - since the 1960s, and can remember numerous pedestrian fatalities as a regular occurrence, particularly that stretch on West Tennessee Street between N. Monroe and Ocala Road. With the redevelopment of West Pensacola between the Civic Center and the Stadium, the danger has grown for pedestrians over there, too.
Dozens of people getting hit and killed, over and over at the same locations. clearly a structural issue needing reform and new Blueprint sprawl roads way north will just make things more dangerous and car dependent
So your point is to do nothing?
How many were walking while intoxicated and how many were walking while distracted? I remember reading a while back that several people were hit by Vehicles while playing "Pokemon Go". Now turn that around, How many Drivers were driving while intoxicated or driving while distracted?
What about fault? How many of the 58 are caused by peds and how many by drivers? I see as many peds in the road unsafely as much as I see reckless drivers.