Most Dangerous Intersections For Pedestrians in Florida

Florida has always had a poor reputation when it comes to pedestrian safety. The reality is that present-day Florida is built for cars and trucks rather than people traveling on foot. Indeed, the state is covered in multi-lane highways and streets that make it dangerous for even the safest and most alert pedestrian to cross without incident.

Florida’s Most Deadly Metro Areas for Pedestrians

How bad is it for Florida pedestrians? According to the most recent edition of its Dangerous by Design survey, Smart Growth America found that 6 of the top 20 and 9 of the 101 most dangerous metro areas for fatal pedestrian accidents are located right here in Florida.

These nine regions are:

• Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach (tied for No. 5)
• Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater (No. 8)
• Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville (No. 11)
• Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach (No. 14)
• Jacksonville (No. 15)
• Cape Coral-Fort Myers (No. 16)
• North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton (No. 17)
• Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (No. 18)
• Lakeland-Winter Haven (tied for No. 21)

A Central Florida Public Media report on the Smart Growth America study added some additional context for these rankings, noting that “Black pedestrians were twice as likely to be killed by a vehicle when crossing traffic,” while “Native Americans were four times as likely.” The study’s authors suggested this was “likely due to structural racism [in Florida], and the decisions to place highly trafficked thoroughfares through low-income neighborhoods where minorities were living in the 1950s.”

Additionally, the authors noted that in prior years, the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford metro region actually held the number-one spot for pedestrian fatalities. The area’s fall to the 18th position in the 2024 rankings, however, was not a sign of improving pedestrian conditions in the area. In fact, Orlando is more dangerous now for pedestrians, but other cities have simply gotten significantly worse.

Florida’s Deadliest Roads for Pedestrians

Perhaps the single most dangerous road for pedestrians in Florida–and possibly the entire country–is the stretch of US-19 that runs through the Tampa region. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Transport and Land Use identified 7 “pedestrian crash hot spots” on just the portion of US-19 that runs through Pasco County. Robert Schneider, one of the study’s authors, told Vox that this was the single deadliest road in the United States.

The specific Florida corridors identified in the study as particularly dangerous for pedestrians included:

• Florida Highway 21 between Lake Gray Boulevard and Argyle Forest Boulevard in Jacksonville
• Florida Highway 436 between Florida Highway 50 and Cornelia Avenue in Orlando
• Florida Highway 50 between Commerce Boulevard and North Forsyth Road in Azalea Park
• Florida Highway 704 between Haverhill Road and Military Trail in West Palm Beach
• Florida Highway 80 between Wilma Avenue and Buena Vista Boulevard in Tice
• Florida Highway 802 between South Military Trail and Edwards Avenue in Lake Worth Corridor
• Florida Highway 934 between NW 2nd Court and NE 2nd Avenue in Miami
• Florida Highway 968 between SW 52nd Avenue and NW 462th Avenue in Miami
• US-17/92/441 between 38th Street and Holden Avenue in Holden Heights
• US-19 at Tahitian Gardens in Holiday
• US-19 between Continental Drive and Phoenix Avenue in Holiday
• US-19 between Dipaola Drive and Elizabeth Avenue in Bayonet Point
• US-19 between Edna Avenue and Gulf Highlands Drive in Bayonet Point
• US-19 between Green Key Road and Pleasant Place in New Port Richey
• US-19 between Tacoma Drive and Fox Hollow Drive in Jasmine Estates
• US-19 between Tahitian Gardens Circle and Buena Vista Lane in Holiday
• US-19 between Westwood Drive and Sunray Drive in Holiday
• US-41 between 49th Drive W and 53rd Avenue W in South Bradenton
• US-41 between 55th Avenue W and 60th Avenue W in South Bradenton
• US-41/Florida Highway 90 between SW 8th Avenue and SW 2nd Avenue in Miami
• US-90/Florida Highway 10A between Edison Drive and Westover Street in West Pensacola

Identifying Dangerous Pedestrian Intersections in Orlando and Tampa

If you are looking for more specific information about dangerous intersections throughout Florida, there is also an online tool called BadIntersections.com, which describes itself as a crowdsourced map database of intersections that are potentially hazardous and annoying for pedestrians and other travelers. The website allows you to view common sites for all types of accidents, including those involving pedestrians.

For example, some of the locations within the Orlando and Tampa areas identified as “frequent” sites of pedestrian accidents include:

• Edgewater Drive and Shady Lane Drive in College Park
• S John Young Parkway and W Oak Ridge Road in Orlando
• S Kirkman Road and International Drive in Florida Center
• S Semoran Boulevard and Curry Ford Road in Dixie Belle
• West Colonial Drive and 5th Street in Regal Pointe
• West Busch Boulevard and North Boulevard in Lowry Park North
• West Swann Avenue and South Rome Avenue in Hyde Park Village
• West Melrose Avenue and South Manhattan Avenue in Culbreath Heights

Tips for Crossing the Most Dangerous Intersections in Florida

There is no way for a pedestrian to avoid all potential risks at an intersection, especially since you are largely at the mercy of the drivers of motor vehicles to act responsibly. That said, there are a few key safety tips you should keep in mind when crossing at a confusing or dangerous intersection anywhere in Florida:

• Always obey street signs and traffic signals.
• Always cross an intersection at a designated crosswalk; if there is no crosswalk, cross at a well-lit area where you can clearly see any oncoming traffic.
• Use sidewalks whenever possible; if you need to walk in the street, walk facing and as far away from traffic as you can.
• Avoid drinking or using recreational drugs when crossing a street.

Finally, if you are struck by a careless motorist, make sure you seek immediate medical attention, even if you do not think you suffered any serious injuries. You should also not hesitate to speak with a qualified Orlando pedestrian accident lawyer who can advise you of your legal right to compensation. JustCallMoe Injury and Accident Attorneys will be happy to sit down with you and answer any questions you might have. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.