2024 pedestrian deaths study ranks Cape Coral-Fort Myers in Top 20 in US

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
·3 min read

Being a pedestrian in Southwest Florida can be a risky choice. Or, a deadly one.

A new study by Smart Growth America identifies the deadliest metro areas for people walking in the United States. The study ranks the 101 largest metro areas for pedestrian deaths and finds the vast majority (82%) have gotten more deadly over time.

The 2024 study ranks metro areas based on pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents over a five-year timeframe (2018-2022). The year 2022 is the most recent year available for final federal data, including nationwide numbers on pedestrian fatalities that can be broken down by localities, and compared with census tracts.

The Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area made the list of 20 deadliest places for people walking, coming in at No. 16 in the ranking.

Taking a closer look at the pedestrian study data

  • Not surprisingly, and according to the study, fast-growing metros in the South and the Sunbelt are still the most deadly.

  • Pedestrian deaths in these places are either keeping pace with population growth or (far) outpacing it. The City of Cape Coral, with a population of more than 200,000 people and growing, is considered one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S.

  • The Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area is not alone in the rankings when it comes to Florida. Seven other Florida metro areas are on the Top-20. The Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach metro area came in tied for fifth in the study.

  • Two Florida areas (Palm Bay and Jacksonville) are on the very short list of metros trending less deadly long term (comparing 2013-2017 average to 2018-2022). However, in Jacksonville, the total number of deaths actually increased across those five-year periods, from 260 to 274, which means their improved fatality rate (-0.20) was due entirely to their population growth.

A pedestrian crosses Coronado Parkway Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at the intersection with Cape Coral Parkway.
A pedestrian crosses Coronado Parkway Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at the intersection with Cape Coral Parkway.

Cape Coral-Fort Meyers metro area: What to know

Average pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people per year (2018-2022): 3.29

Pedestrian deaths (2013-17): 91

Pedestrian death (2018-22): 127

Long-term trend in fatality rate: 0.69

Comparing Cape Coral-Fort Myers with No. 1 overall Memphis

Average pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people per year (2018-2022): 5.14

Pedestrian deaths (2013-17): 186

Pedestrian death (2018-22): 343

Long-term trend in fatality rate: 2.37

What about age as a factor in pedestrian deaths?

According to the study, people between the ages of 50 and 65, and people over 75, are more likely to be struck and killed while walking. And crashes that may result in only injuries for younger people are more likely to become severe injuries or deaths for older people.

What about race as a factor in pedestrian deaths?

According to the study, the data show that people of color, particularly American Indian and Alaska Native populations, are more likely to die while walking than people from any other race or ethnic group. This group, plus Black Americans, combined to account for nearly 22 percent of all pedestrian deaths in metro areas despite accounting for just under 13 percent of the population. Black people are killed at more than twice the rate ofwhite people.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral and Fort Myers ranked in pedestrian death study