For years, Florida has been one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to pedestrian safety. That was true once again in 2017. Data from the Governors Highway Safety Association indicated that Florida had the second-most pedestrian deaths in the nation — and the fifth-most when adjusted for population.
The numbers of Floridians hit by cars increased from 2016 to 2017. There were 303 pedestrian accidents in 2017, compared to 299 the previous year. The 2017 total ranked only behind the 352 deaths in California, a state that has nearly double the population of Florida.
When adjusted to a scale of accidents per 100,000 people, Florida only placed lower than Arizona, New Mexico, Delaware and Louisiana. Arizona had 1.61 deaths per 100,000 people, which easily took the top spot on the list. But at 1.43 deaths per 100,000, Florida still had dismal numbers.
The top five states — California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and New York — accounted for 43 percent of all pedestrian deaths in 2017.
It remains to be seen how the state will finish in 2018, but given its recent history, one can expect it to once again be among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians.
After a pedestrian accident
If you’ve suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident, you may seek damages through a personal injury claim. In most circumstances, drivers will bear most or all of the liability for pedestrian accidents, even if the pedestrian was jaywalking. It is, however, important to keep Florida’s comparative negligence laws in mind. If you, as the pedestrian, bore some responsibility for the accident, it will decrease the amount of compensation you can recover by your share of the fault.
For further guidance on how to proceed with a pedestrian accident claim in Florida, work with a reliable team of personal injury attorneys at Serrano Law. You can reach our Wesley Chapel Location at 813.929.4231 or our Tampa Location at 850.201.7210. You can also contact us online