MIAMI – A daily walk may be great exercise, but it can be downright deadly if you're doing it in the Sunshine State.
According to a new report, Florida is the most dangerous state to walk, with nine of the deadliest locations in the U.S. on the list, including South Florida.
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The Smart Growth America report lists 5,433 pedestrian fatalities in Florida between 2008 and 2017, and a national high 2.73 annual fatalities per 100,000 people during that time frame.
But the truly jarring numbers come from the Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI), which is the rate of pedestrian deaths relative to the number of people who walk to work in the area. Florida's PDI is an incredible 182.0 in 2019, with Alabama coming closest at 145.0.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (South Florida) recorded over 1,500 deaths in the nine year survey period, over 600 more than the Tampa Bay area.
However, South Florida ranks 14th overall in the most dangerous metro areas to walk list, with Orlando heading the rankings followed by the Daytona Beach area and Palm Beach-Melbourne-Titusville.
South Florida's PDI for 2018 stands at 153.5.
Overall, pedestrian deaths rose by 35.4 percent in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017.
The report claims the reason behind the deaths is that roads are still being designed without pedestrians in mind, producing streets that "prioritize high speeds for cars over safety for all people."