Posted on 12/03/2004 6:08:01 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Since moving to Miami from California 18 months ago, Arnold Dejesus has narrowly escaped getting run over twice while crossing the street. Once, the 36-year-old salesman was so angry he kicked the offending car. Dejesus says Florida's roads are extremely dangerous for pedestrians, and according to a private study released Thursday, he is right.
The study by the Washington, D.C.-based Surface Transportation Policy Project says Florida's roads are the nation's most dangerous for people walking along them. Tampa ranked first among the state's metropolitan areas with 3.69 pedestrian deaths annually per 100,000 people. Orlando was next with 3.15, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale had 2.94.
"People here do whatever they want without thinking about the others," Dejesus said.
Orlando, according to the Mean Streets 2004 study, has seen the biggest increase in its pedestrian death rate in the last decade - more than 117 percent. Elsewhere in the country, Richmond, Va., saw a jump of more than 70 percent. Memphis, Tenn., came in third, with almost 43 percent.
Conversely, the Salt Lake City are cut its pedestrian death rate by nearly half since 1994, when the annual study was conducted for the first time. Portland, Ore., reduced the number of its pedestrian deaths by a third. A 20 reduction was recorded by New Orleans, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
"The trend is fairly substantially down from 10 years ago," said Elly Martin, spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "On average a pedestrian is killed on America's roadways every 111 minutes and one is injured every 8 minutes."
Nationwide in 2002-2003, 4,749 pedestrians were killed and 70,000 injured in road accidents. In Florida, 500 were killed.
Florida transportation experts agree the roads are dangerous and are trying to find ways to improve them.
Dennis Scott, the state's pedestrian bicycle coordinator, said experts are upgrading the roads and fixing problems such as lighting. They are also looking to make room for bicyclists and pedestrians on the roads.
In an effort to minimize accidents, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio decided to put up two additional speed signs along one major roadway, Bayshore Boulevard, as well as developing a driving safety awareness campaign.
But some Tampa residents say their roads are safe.
"I am sure that there have been accidents, but I don't think its so dangerous that it is the most dangerous in the country," said Monica Martino, 21.
Some Miami residents say the problem is careless drivers.
"I see people who try to compete against a stretch limousine," said Chris Taylor, 41, who owns a limousine service. "They run red lights all the time. You have to caution yourself."
Orlando residents have similar complaints.
"It is horrible. Like, absolutely, ridiculously bad," said Alex D'Aurora, a cyclist in Orlando. "Drivers think that they own the road because they bought a car."
Jeb's fault.
Jeb for VP in 2008, and President in 2012.
Hmm. I've been all over the country, and the odds have always been generally in favor of the car in car v. pedestrian encounters.
Watch! I can make speeding cars disappear just by shutting my eyes!
Having moved to FL, I can confirm the facts. People are not attentive to their driving, and they speed and run red lights like crazy here. They also seem to assume that because the sun is shining, the freeways can't possibly be hazardous. I suspect much of the problem can be found in our combination of punks, very senior citizens, and Michiganders.
I think they are playing too much Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Edition...
I wish.
Dave Barry always says the official Miami driving motto is: "Death Before Yielding!" :-)
God's waiting room...
Could not possibly be because Florida can not even think about restricting or revoking a senior citizen's drivers license without getting sued for age discrimination now could it? The oldsters have enough political clout to keep anyone from suggesting periodic retesting or anything that might actually get dangerous drivers off the road before they kill someone.
Note to self...
If all you can see on the drivers side of an approaching vehicle is a tuft of blue hair and a pair of hands on the steering wheel, DIVE IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF A DITCH OR SIDEWALK.
What do they call pedestrians in Florida?
Speed bumps.
old people suck.
Most of the drivers are elderly or teenagers... not a good combination!
Lots of 70+ year olds with drivers licenses. Lots of strip clubs serving lots of booze. Lots of visitors in rental cars.
Duhhhhhhhh?
Local paper says New Mexico is the most dangerous state for pedestrians. I certainly believe it. Just had two people killed who were trying to cross the freeway on foot. Always have a drunk staggering down the center line on the fringes of the reservations. Headline should have read "Pedestrians Most Likely to Dare Drivers in New Mexico" IMHO.
I think the biggest problem is driver education and enforcement- in Toronto the most dangerous thing you can do is cross on a green light when a car is about to make a right turn. Forget about red-light cameras- if a cop spent a day at the corner by my office he'd nail so many drivers who fail to yield he'd have to file a workers' comp claim for the writer's cramp.
Las Vegas' solution was to build overpasses (and barriers) to keep pedestrians off of much of the road on the Las Vegas strip. They were constructed within the span of just a couple years.
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