Jacksonville among top 15 most dangerous areas in US for pedestrians, report finds

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in the search for the suspect in a fatal hit and run.

Investigators said they believe the SUV in the video is the one that hit a person who fell in the road on West Union Street and kept on driving.

So far in 2024, 124 people have died on the road in Duval County -- and 33 of those involved people who weren’t in cars.

Late Wednesday night, a woman in her 60s was hit on North Main Street.

Fortunately, the driver in that case did stop and call for help but that woman died.

A report from Smart Growth America compiled data from 2018 to 2022 and ranked U.S. metro areas based on the average pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 people.

That report found Jacksonville to be the 15th most dangerous metro area in the United States.

In fact, of the top 25 most dangerous metro areas on that list, nine of them come from Florida.

Daytona Beach led the way for Floida cities at No. 5.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers several safety tips for both drivers and pedestrians.

For drivers:

1. Look out for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
2. Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
3. Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or otherwise entering a crosswalk.
4. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the crossing pedestrians so they can stop too.
5. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
6. Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
7. Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
8. Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.

For walkers:

1. Follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals.
2. Walk on sidewalks whenever they are available.
3. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
4. Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including those turning left or right.
5. If a crosswalk or intersection is not available, locate a well-lit area where you have the best view of traffic. Wait for a gap in traffic that allows enough time to cross safely; continue watching for traffic as you cross.
6. Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways, or backing up in parking lots.
7. Avoid alcohol and drugs when walking; they impair your abilities and your judgment.
8. Embrace walking as a healthy form of transportation - get up, get out and get moving.

The report did note one positive trend.

Jacksonville is one of only a handful of cities seeing a drop in its long-term fatality rate.