According to state data reviewed by Ocala-News.com, Marion County roadways have claimed the lives of at least 166 pedestrians over the past decade, with nearly 90 of those deaths occurring within the last five years alone, according to state traffic records.
An analysis of data maintained by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) shows that while local pedestrian fatalities in 2026 are tracking below recent averages, overall pedestrian-involved collisions are occurring at a historic high.
Through late October, Marion County law enforcement agencies responded to 159 crashes involving pedestrians. That figure matches the highest single-year crash total recorded in Marion County over the past 10 years, which was previously set in 2019…