South Florida ranked poorly in terms of pedestrian safety
May 28, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, May 29, 2014.
According to a recent report issued by two urban-redesign activist groups, South Florida is a dangerous place to be a pedestrian. The report, which looked at pedestrian safety statistics throughout the United States, highlighted that pedestrians in South Florida are hit by motor vehicles at almost three times the rate of national average. Particularly noteworthy for their poor performance are Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach.
The report used what was called a Pedestrian Danger Index to rate pedestrian safety. The index measures the likelihood of a pedestrian being fatally wounded by a motor vehicle. While the national average was 52.2, the number for South Florida was 145.33.
One prominent reason for the high numbers of pedestrian accidents is the dense elderly population in South Florida. Elderly citizens travel by foot more often than younger people and are more prone to be involved in accidents. Still, the numbers are a cause for concern and a signal that drivers need to be on the alert for pedestrians. It is also a signal to the Department of Transportation that intersections and other areas of high risk for pedestrians should be improved as much as possible to ensure pedestrian safety.
Those who are harmed in a pedestrian accident deserve to be compensated for their injuries and other losses by the parties responsible for the accident. In many cases, this is other drivers, but sometimes there are other at-fault parties, such as local governments responsible for road maintenance and safety design. Whoever is at fault and whatever the circumstances of the case, an experienced personal injury attorney is an invaluable asset to have in such cases.
Source: Miami Herald, Report: South Florida deadly for pedestrians May 20, 2014.
