Memphis continues to be the most dangerous city for pedestrians, with 369 pedestrian deaths from 2020 to 2024, according to a new report.
Rankings from a study by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition found the city to be No. 1 in deadliest metro areas for people walking. These findings were released in the groups’ 2026 “Dangerous By Design” report.
The report ranks the “deadliest states and metro areas” for pedestrians. Researchers found that pedestrian deaths are up 72 percent in 15 years.
“Memphis in the second straight report, ranks as the deadliest metro area for pedestrians in the United States with a pedestrian fatality rate of 5.5,” the report said. “Despite years of warnings and national attention, Memphis streets continue to become more deadly for people walking.”
Smart Growth America staff said this is the highest fatality rate reported in their iteration of the study since 2009. Though other cities changed in ranking, researchers said this did not necessarily mean “lives were saved.”
Researchers said the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Hollywood Street as being the site of several pedestrian deaths. They attributed these incidents to wide lanes, frequent driveways and long crossing distances. They recommended a redesign of the area to include improved crosswalks, shorter driveways, expanded pedestrian space, and street trees.
Kelsey Huse, local transportation advocate, called the report an “urgent call to prioritize pedestrian safety nationwide.” She said that the people behind the numbers are more than statistics.
In an Instagram Reel, Huse spoke to Beth Osborne, president and CEO of Smart Growth Memphis, who gave ways to build a safe road.
“If you’re going to have high speeds, you cut it off from all development, you manage all traffic coming on or off that highway,” Osborne said. “You separate oncoming traffic and you don’t let any vulnerable users anywhere near it.”
Other groups have used the report to call out local government for their lack of action. Smart City Memphis referenced the Memphis Safety Action plan which tracked pedestrian deaths from 2019 to 2023. The group said no data has been recorded in the last three years.
They criticized the city’s “Getting There Together” program, which was announced as a 12-month campaign focused on drivers and road safety.
“The program was heavy on public relations with posters and tagline but in the end, it did nothing to reduce the number of pedestrian deaths in Memphis,” Smart City Memphis said.
Tennessee also saw an upward trend of pedestrian deaths. Researchers said states are responsible and hold the power to reduce these numbers and said more than half of pedestrian deaths took place on state-owned roads.
“Together, these changes create a safer and more comfortable environment for people walking and biking,” the report said.
American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black Americans continued to be disproportionately affected by pedestrian deaths. American Indian and Alaska Native populations are killed at 367 percent of the national average, while Black Americans are killed at 171 percent.
Smart Growth America referenced areas such as Orlando, Florida which they said had a “steep decline” in fatalities. They attributed this growth to leadership at the city’s public works and transportation office, and encouraged other local leadership and state decision-makers to intervene.
“Dangerous by Design 2026 calls on policymakers and transportation agencies to adopt a higher standard for success and stop treating small reductions in fatalities as evidence that the problem has been solved,” Smart Growth America said in a statement.
