These Are The 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Destination Cities For Walking
Sophia
Author
Walking is great for the environment and your waistline, but the latest data suggests that you might be safer driving in some U.S. cities. Our friends at Smart Growth America have released a study ranking the 104 largest U.S. metro areas in terms of how dangerous they are for pedestrians. The researchers looked at the proportion of local commuters who walk to work compared with the number of pedestrian deaths. The results are pretty alarming.
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Here are the top 10 most dangerous cities for pedestrians in America:
1. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
2. Bakersfield, CA
3. Memphis, Tennessee/Mississippi/Arkansas
4. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
5. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL
6. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
7. Jackson, Mississippi
8. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
9. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
10. Jacksonville, FL
If you’re visiting any of these spots soon, be sure to look both ways before crossing the street! Of course, as long as you keep alert and are aware of your surroundings, you ought to be safe enough; the best thing to do while walking at night is making sure you’re wearing brightly-colored clothing and stick to sidewalks and crosswalks.
You may not be able to prevent someone else from driving like a madman, but you can anticipate that someone might and take reasonable precautions from there.
Is your city one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. for pedestrians? To see the full study, check out the Dangerous By Design page on Smart Growth America.
Want some good news about Florida? Check out these beautiful places in Florida you never knew existed.
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More to Explore
Most Dangerous Cities in the US
What are some of the most dangerous cities in the USA?
The United States is full of wonderful, safe towns and cities that are great for living in, but with the good (and the really good) comes the bad (and the really bad). Our friends at Neighborhood Scout release a list annually of the safest – and the least safe – places in the U.S. In 2021, the most dangerous cities in the USA were Monroe, Louisiana, which had a violent crime rate of 29.4 per 1,000 residents. Your chances of being a victim there are 1 in 34. Memphis, Tennessee, came in second, with a violent crime rate of 24.2 per 1,000 residents, and a 1 in 41 chance of being the victim of a crime. In third place is Saginaw, Michigan, where the violent crime rate is 23.8 per 1,000 residents, and the chances of being victimized are 1 in 42. Finally, the top five list closes out with Detroit, Michigan (1 in 44 chance) and St. Louis, Missouri (1 in 50 chance).
What are some dangerous places to avoid in the USA?
Some places are dangerous because of the crime rates and the people there; other places are dangerous because of accidents, nature, weather, and lots of other factors. For example, one of the most dangerous places in the US when it comes to inclement weather is Miami, Florida, which boasts entirely too many lightning strike-related fatalities and is the mecca for hurricanes on this continent. Other naturally-dangerous places include Death Valley National Park, which is beautiful, but not in the winter – summertime temperatures go beyond just sweltering. The heat is deadly, and anyone caught out in the elements without water or shelter is surely doomed. Then, there’s the beautiful Mt. Washington: it’s the hardest short mountain in the world to climb thanks to being home to the fastest winds on earth. Winds of up to 203 miles per hour have been reported from there, and folks die often trying to summit it. Need a little more scary stuff in your life? Check out this list of scary disasters in the USA’s safest state!