Tampa Bay ranked among deadliest metros for pedestrians
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Tampa Bay is among the deadliest metro areas in the U.S. for pedestrians, according to a report from Smart Growth America.
Why it matters: Drivers killed 618 pedestrians in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater over the last five years — a death toll that exceeds that of some larger metro areas, like Minneapolis–Saint Paul, which recorded 165.
Driving the news: Tampa Bay ranked eighth among the country's largest metro areas in pedestrian deaths, with an average annual fatality rate of 3.74 per 100,000 residents, equivalent to about 128 deaths a year.
- Florida ranked fifth among all states for pedestrian fatality rates, with 3,726 pedestrian deaths from 2020 to 2024.
- Six of the state's metro areas landed in the report's top 20 most dangerous places for people walking.
How it works: The "Dangerous by Design" report examined pedestrian deaths from 2020 through 2024 and ranked the nation's 101 largest metro areas by annual pedestrian fatality rates.
Between the lines: The researchers argue that road design shapes driver behavior in "invisible but powerful ways" and that the country's streets are often "built to prioritize the speed and convenience of cars" over safety.
- Specifically, they point to roads with "too-wide lanes, infrequent pedestrian crossings, and poor visibility," which they say disproportionately endanger communities of color and lower-income neighborhoods.
- American Indian and Alaska Native people are killed while walking at 3.7 times the national rate, while Black Americans die at 1.7 times the national rate, according to the report.
Friction point: The report also used Florida as an example of how politics can undermine efforts to improve pedestrian safety
- Researchers cited the state's decision to remove a painted crosswalk in Orlando that commemorated victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting — and which had made that intersection safer for pedestrians, the report said.
- The removal was part of a statewide crackdown on pavement art that the state considered "social, political or ideological," which saw artwork in Tampa Bay and across the state covered up.
- The governor's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.