Three cities in Texas, including two in the metroplex, were ranked among the most dangerous in the nation for pedestrians, according to a recent study by a personal injury lawyer.
The report by Matthew E. Aulsbrook, “The Texas Law Dog,” ranked U.S. cities based on pedestrian fatality rates, walkability scores, and the percentage of recreational areas and parks in each city.
In North Texas, Fort Worth and Dallas were ranked No. 4 and No. 8, respectively, on the list of most dangerous cities for pedestrians.
Fort Worth has a 3.24 pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 residents and a walkability score of 35, putting it squarely in the middle of the “Car-Dependent” category, per WalkScore.com. About 6% of the city is dedicated to parks and recreational areas.
Dallas scored somewhat higher on the walkability score, earning a 46, but still landed within the 25-49 scoring range for “Car-Dependant.” The pedestrian fatality rate is somewhat higher than in Fort Worth, averaging 5.54 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents. About one-tenth of the city has dedicated parks and recreational areas.
San Antonio is the third Texas city on the top 10 list, ranking at No. 7. Similar to Dallas, about 10% of the cityscape is dedicated to parks and recreational spaces. San Antonio’s walkability score is 37, placing it in the “Car-Dependent” category. San Antonio’s pedestrian fatality rate falls between that of Dallas and Fort Worth, at 4.48 per 100,000 residents.
Memphis, Tennessee, ranked as the No. 1 most dangerous city for pedestrians, with an overall pedestrian fatality rate of 13.4 deaths per 100,000 people — more than quadruple Fort Worth’s fatality rate. However, Memphis’ other metrics are identical to Fort Worth’s, with a walkability score of 35 and only 6% of its cityscape dedicated to parks and recreational areas.
Listed below are the complete rankings for the top 10 most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the U.S.
- No. 1 – Memphis, Tennessee
- No. 2 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- No. 3 – Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 4 – Fort Worth, Texas
- No. 5 – Detroit, Michigan
- No. 6 – Louisville, Kentucky
- No. 7 – San Antonio, Texas
- No. 8 – Dallas, Texas
- No. 9 – Phoenix, Arizona
- No. 10 – Columbus, Ohio