Report: These states saw most pedestrian fatalities in 2022. Where does Florida rank?
Florida stands out from the crowd when it comes to pedestrian fatalities, and not in a good way.
The state continues to see some of the highest rates and number of such deaths in the United States, according to a report by the nonprofit Governors Highway Safety Association released last Friday.
The report, which includes findings on 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, shows Florida had the third-highest rate of pedestrian deaths at four per 100,000 residents.
Oklahoma did not provide data due to a technical issue, according to the nonprofit.
In 2021, the state Legislature passed a bill requiring the state driver education test bank contain at least 25 questions regarding pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Florida still ranks high despite slight decline
Florida saw a slight decrease from 2021 to 2022 in pedestrian deaths — 833 to 824 — after seeing an increase from 2020 to 2021 — 716 to 833.
Preliminary data shows the following 10 states saw the highest numbers of pedestrian fatalities last year:
California: 1,100
Texas: 834
Florida: 824
Georgia: 335
Arizona: 307
New York: 298
North Carolina: 275
Tennessee: 205
Illinois: 200
New Jersey: 190
Number of pedestrian fatalities in Volusia and Flagler counties so far
Out of 154 crashes involving people traveling on foot, there have been 16 pedestrian fatalities in Volusia County this year between Jan. 1 and June 21, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department.
In Flagler County, there have been no pedestrian fatalities out of 17 crashes involving people on foot between Jan. 1 and June 17.
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What else did the highway safety report show?
From 2010 to 2021, pedestrian deaths rose 77%, from 4,302 to 7,624 (Other types of traffic fatalities increased by 25%).
Preliminary data shows the number of pedestrian deaths in 2022 "is still on par to be the highest number since 1981," the report states.
Since 2020, dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding or driving under the influence, have been rising and are not slowing down, according to the nonprofit.
Most pedestrian deaths in 2021 occurred while it was dark out and on roads without sidewalks.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Report: Pedestrian deaths in Florida remain high
