A recent examination of state traffic crash data shows that between 2019-2021, Pinellas County has the highest percentage of pedestrian-involved crashes and fatalities in the state.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles crash statistics analyzed by the Schiller Kessler Group — a law firm specializing in personal injury lawsuits — showed that 3.1% of Pinellas crashes between 2019 and 2021 involved a pedestrian, the most in the state. In addition, 35.5% of road deaths in Pinellas involved a pedestrian, which the analysis said was 132% higher than the state average.

The numbers were not a surprise to Matt Croasmun, whose nephew, Ethan Weiser, was hit and killed by a car while walking to his bus stop on Belleair Road in Clearwater in 2022.  

Since then, he said he's learned a lot about the factors that lead to these kinds of crashes.

“We’ve just got to a better job of educating our drivers,” Croasmun said. “Paying attention when we’re driving. Paying attention when we’re walking. Put more infrastructure out there. Give people a chance to make it where they want to go safely.”

According to the analysis, from 2019-2021, there were 47,855 car crashes in Pinellas County, with 1,509 of them involving pedestrians. 

Officials with both Pinellas County and the Florida Department of Transportation said they are aware of the challenges. There have been recent projects to improve pedestrian safety in Pinellas County, like new pedestrian bridges across U.S. 19.

Croasmun and his family worked tirelessly to get a new illuminated crosswalk on Belleiar Road installed near where Ethan was killed. Before, they said there was no safe crossing in a very dark area.

“Ethan’s life may have ended, but potentially, he saved someone’s life by ultimately sacrificing his own," Croasmun said.