Tampa Bay Hazardous to Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian safety

TAMPA BAY, FL – According to Wusfnews.com, Tampa Bay was determined to be the ninth deadliest area in the United States for pedestrians. The city is now working to improve road safety with a special focus on cyclists and pedestrians. Small Growth America issued “Dangerous by Design,” a report that ranks road safety in the United States.

Florida was determined to be the worst state and the location of 8 out of the top ten most dangerous metro areas in the country.

Between 2008 and 2017, 900 pedestrians were killed in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area making it the 9th most dangerous area for pedestrian fatalities. When pedestrians and cyclists are accounted for, the Tampa Bay area has the highest number of deaths in the state.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff, Chad Chronister, says that the area is the most dangerous in the state and that the community has a lot of work to do in order to make the roads safer.

The efforts will include education, having deputies present at places where there are frequently pedestrian and cyclist incidents, and a push to get cyclists to use safety lights.

Chronister is optimistic about the ability to improve safety in the area but acknowledges that there is still much work to be done.

The police are targeting the most pedestrian and cyclist heavy parts of the region.

Florida has long held a reputation as being unsafe for cyclists. The state’s roads are typically designed with motor vehicles in mind and not pedestrians or cyclists. The weather in Florida also contributes to the problem because people are able to walk and cycle in the state year-round because of the warmer temperatures. The more bikes and pedestrians on the road, the greater the risk of an accident.