Florida remains one of the most dangerous states in the nation for older pedestrians, ranking fourth in the nation for fatalities among residents 65 and older, according to a new traffic safety analysis.
The report, conducted by Missouri-based law firm Beck & Beck, analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis and Reporting System (FARS), covering the years 2020 to 2024. Researchers found that an average of 168 elderly pedestrians died each year in Florida over a five-year period, or about 14 deaths each month.
When adjusting for Florida’s elderly population, Florida recorded 35.45 elderly pedestrian deaths per million residents age 65 and older, ranking behind Nevada, New Jersey, and California. Arizona State ranks in the top five in the nation.
Florida has an average of nearly 4.75 million residents age 65 and older, making it one of the largest elderly populations in the nation. Researchers said that despite its size, the state’s death rate remains disproportionately high, highlighting ongoing safety concerns for older Floridians traveling on roads and intersections.
The study found that an average of 0.46 elderly pedestrians die each day in Florida. The death rate is nearly six times higher than in Nebraska, which has the lowest elderly pedestrian death rate in the nation at just 6.07 deaths per 1 million people. Vermont, Iowa, and North Dakota also rank among the safest states for elderly pedestrians.
The researchers also looked at year-to-year trends in Florida. The number of elderly pedestrian deaths steadily increased from 140 deaths in 2020 to 205 deaths in 2023, the highest level in five years, and decreased to 171 deaths in 2024. Although the latest numbers show improvement, Florida still has one of the highest death tolls and death rates in the nation.
The report notes that states most at risk tend to be Sunbelt and coastal states with high population densities, where large elderly populations, heavy traffic and pedestrian activity can contribute to increased risk. Nevada topped the list with 37.51 elderly pedestrian deaths per million elderly people, followed by New Jersey with 36.63 and California with 36.37. Florida’s rate was 35.45, just below California.
To create the rankings, researchers looked at pedestrian fatalities for people 65 and older using federal crash data from 2020 to 2024. Population estimates for each state’s elderly residents were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, allowing researchers to calculate per capita death rates rather than relying solely on raw death counts.
