Deadliest Cities for Pedestrians

Without the protection of airbags, seat belts and bumpers, pedestrians are at high risk of severe injury or death in traffic accidents. To find the most dangerous U.S. cities for pedestrians, MoneyGeek analyzed National Highway Traffic Association (NHTSA) traffic fatality data collected from 2018 through 2021 across 225 cities. We found that cities in the South saw pedestrian fatalities spike over this four-year period, while Midwestern cities experienced the lowest average annual fatalities per capita. Going deeper, more than half of the Florida cities analyzed and nearly a quarter of California cities rank among the top 50 most dangerous for pedestrians.

Lincoln, Nebraska, and Plano, Texas, have the fewest reported pedestrian fatalities of the cities we analyzed, with a rate of 0.6 per 100,000 residents annually. Over the past four years, these cities have halved their pedestrian fatalities. Virginia Beach, Virginia, also stands out, with the lowest percentage of pedestrian fatalities relative to all traffic accidents at 11.8%.

Meanwhile, at a regional level: Midwestern cities, on average, report lower pedestrian fatality rates than any other region in the U.S. They also show a smaller four-year change in pedestrian fatalities and a lower percentage of pedestrian fatalities relative to all traffic accidents. This might suggest less danger for pedestrians in the Midwest, but it doesn’t diminish the need for continued safety improvements across all regions.

The journey to safer sidewalks and roads is ongoing. While cities like Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Lincoln, Nebraska, pose unique challenges and successes, the national four-year change in pedestrian fatalities rests at an unsettling 15.9%. The data underscores that every city, whether it's more or less walkable, has its own path to improving pedestrian safety. In the meantime, certain strategies can help you stay safe on foot.

While there are some steps pedestrians can take to protect themselves, it’s crucial that drivers also take responsibility for keeping pedestrians safe. Safe driving advice is straightforward: always keep your eyes on the road, obey the speed limits and don't drive under the influence.

It's always safer to travel at slower speeds, especially in areas with pedestrian traffic. Lower speeds give drivers a better chance of avoiding pedestrians altogether. When it comes to surviving an accident, our analysis of pedestrian accident survival rates found that every 10 mph faster a car travels doubles a pedestrian's chance of death.

Hitting a pedestrian can result in criminal charges and the loss of your license. If you are at fault, you'll probably be sued too. Securing good car insurance coverage is important to protect you from liability in the event the worst happens.

Financially, an at-fault accident on your record can increase the cost of your insurance by 40%. If the accident is severe enough or involves driving under the influence, you'll be required to obtain auto coverage that includes an SR-22, which costs even more.

To rank the most dangerous cities for pedestrians, MoneyGeek analyzed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data from 2018 through 2021 for cities with a population of 100,000 or more. We calculated the average annual pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents in each of these cities and ranked cities in order of highest to lowest fatalities per 100,000 residents.

For additional context, we also explored the following data:

• Average annual number of pedestrian fatalities between 2018 and 2021.
• Pedestrian fatalities as percentage of total traffic fatalities: This is the percentage of pedestrians killed among all persons killed in deadly crashes, calculated by dividing the average number of pedestrian fatalities by the average number of all vehicle-related fatalities.
• Total pedestrian fatalities since 2018.
• Four-year change in number of pedestrian fatalities.

1. Cities without a walk score did not have available data.