Walk of death? Bradenton pedestrians among most at risk to be killed by car

Look both ways, Bradenton.

The Bradenton-Sarasota-North Port area was ranked 10th most dangerous for pedestrians in a new study.

The “Dangerous by Design 2016” report looked at 104 metro areas in the U.S. Florida had nine of its metro areas in the top 20 list.

The report’s author, Smart Growth America, is a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for urban design that keeps sidewalks and public transit access in mind.

In Manatee County, the number of pedestrians who have been injured or died in vehicle-related crashes has fluctuated over the past few years. In 2015, 19 pedestrians died and 150 were injured, according to data from Florida’s Integrated Report Exchange System. Last year, 13 pedestrians died and 157 were injured.

Bradenton has already had its first pedestrian fatality in 2017, as 57-year-old Maria Escobar died Saturday evening when trying to cross First Street. Escobar was not in the crosswalk, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The report includes an interactive map, which shows that the greatest number of pedestrian fatalities from 2005 to 2014 occured along Tamiami Trail in Bradenton. It also analyzes the most at-risk pedestrians are those over 65 and said uninsured individuals often live in the more dangerous places for pedestrians.

“Many of these deaths occur on streets with fast-moving cars and poor pedestrian infrastructure,” the report said. “People walk along these roads despite the clear safety risks — a sign that streets are not adequately serving everyone in the community.”

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 11:23 AM with the headline "Walk of death? Bradenton pedestrians among most at risk to be killed by car."