Study: Central Florida is the most dangerous place to walk in the country
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Be careful out there!
A new study from Smart Growth America has found that Central Florida is the most dangerous place to walk in the entire country.
According to the study, between 2008 and 2017, 49,340 people were hit and killed while walking on streets across the U.S.
"That's more than 13 people per day, or one person every hour and 46 minutes. It's the equivalent of a jumbo jet full of people crashing—with no survivors—every single month," the study says.
About 5,433 of those people were in Florida and an astounding 656 of the fatalities happened in Central Florida, making the Orlando, Kissimmee, and Sanford metropolitan area the most dangerous place to walk.
Out of the top 20 metropolitan areas listed in the survey, Florida cities took the top 6 spots.
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL (656 deaths)
- Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL (212 deaths)
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL (165 deaths)
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL (194 deaths)
- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL (162 deaths)
- Jacksonville, FL (419 deaths)
September is Pedestrian Safety Month.
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Orlando police and Orange County deputies are cracking down on drivers who fail to yield and stop for pedestrians at crosswalks with their 'Operation Best Foot Forward' campaign. Law enforcement are stationed at six crosswalks across Orlando. Drivers who fail to stop will be issued a warning or a citation of $164 and their points on their license.