An already dismal walk score for the tri-county Miami area is especially risky for senior residents. In a city designed for cars, elderly pedestrians are in a dangerous position when attempting to coexist with endless multi-lane traffic.

The National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America ranked South Florida as the country’s fourth most dangerous metro area for pedestrians in their report Dangerous by Design 2014.

“[W]e are still dealing with a legacy of roadways that fail to account for the safety of people on foot,” the report noted. “In the decade from 2003 through 2012, more than 47,000 people died while walking on our streets. That is 16 times the number of people who died in natural disasters during in the same ten years, but without the corresponding level of urgency.

“In 2012, pedestrians accounted for nearly 15 percent of all traffic deaths, up 6 percent from 2011 and representing a five-year high.”

Miami’s ranking rounds out a top four list dominated by other Florida locales, with Orlando-Kissimmee taking the top slot. The total number of pedestrian deaths in Miami, however, is second only to New York and Los Angeles, respectively.

The Miami Herald highlighted how the stats are especially frightening for the state’s elderly population.

“In Florida we’ve always had this culture of driving,” Marsha Jenakovish, director of planning and special projects at the Alliance for Aging, told the Herald. “We built these sprawling cities with lots of broad avenues for speeding traffic and not much thought for pedestrians. We have to rethink the way we do things.”

The Herald reports that some suggestions from a 2011 Miami pedestrian safety report have been implemented, “as money becomes available,” and that “Miami-Dade also adopted Complete Streets policies last year but has not funded it.”

One local urban planner, Victor Dover, told the paper he’s hopeful for future change.

There’s also been a recognition that redesigning streets and sidewalks to accommodate seniors benefits pedestrians and cyclists of all ages. “When you ensure the safety of one group, you’re making it safe for everybody,” Dover said.