ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Every day, two people either die or are seriously injured on the roads of Pinellas County, according to data from Forward Pinellas, an organization dedicated to improving street safety.Â
With new funding, they aim to identify the most hazardous roads for drivers.
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Local perspective:
A poignant reminder to drive safely can be seen on Fourth Street in St. Petersburg, where lives have been lost. This street is among the deadliest in Pinellas County, based on data compiled by Forward Pinellas from 2014-2019.Â
Now, with a $400,000 grant from the federal transportation department, the organization plans to update this list with data from the past five years.
Dig deeper:
Valerie Brookens, the principal planner at Forward Pinellas, explained that approximately 5% of roadways constitute the high-injury network, where 60-70% of fatal and serious injury crashes occur.Â
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US 19, a well-known road for drivers, has seven identified hotspots for serious crashes. Other dangerous areas include three hotspots along Bay Drive in Largo and two on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg.
Forward Pinellas is committed to its Vision Zero initiative, aiming to eliminate all deadly crashes by 2045.Â
The new funding will also support the installation of 10 near-miss cameras at intersections yet to be determined. These cameras will help identify not only deadly and serious injury crashes but also spots where risks are increasing.
What’s next:
By pinpointing dangerous roads, Brookens said Forward Pinellas can propose solutions, prioritize funding for safety improvement projects and educate drivers. She explained road design plays a crucial role in driver behavior; wide lanes and open spaces can encourage faster driving.
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Brookens said the project will take about two years and will include community engagement sessions.
Week of Remembrance
Forward Pinellas is hosting a Week of Remembrance as part of the upcoming World Day of Remembrance (November 16) to honor the memory of the lives that have been tragically lost or forever impacted by roadway crashes throughout Pinellas County.Â
Selected stories will be featured across Forward Pinellas’s social media channels during the Week of Remembrance, November 10-14, to honor victims and help spread life-saving messages to our local communities.
They are asking you to share your personal story through this online short form by November 7. The form allows you to:
Upload a photo of your loved one or yourself.Share the circumstances of the crash.Tell us about your loved one and their legacy or describe how the crash has impacted your life.Provide a safety message you want others to take away.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis through an interview with Forward Pinellas and data from a presentation.Â