Tragedy on the Highway: Growing Dangers for Pedestrians on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys
By Guy deBoer
Florida Keys – What was once a scenic stretch of highway connecting paradise is now at the center of growing concern. U.S. 1 — the only road in and out of the Florida Keys — has become increasingly dangerous for pedestrians, with a recent string of fatalities raising urgent questions about safety, infrastructure, and responsibility.
Last week, in two separate incidents just a day apart, three people were struck and killed by vehicles while trying to cross the highway in Islamorada. On March 20, an elderly couple visiting from Ohio was hit while attempting to walk across U.S. 1 near mile marker 82. The following day, a 30-year-old man from North Carolina died after a vehicle veered onto the shoulder and struck him on the sidewalk.
The Florida Keys have long attracted pedestrians: tourists exploring on foot, locals biking or walking to work, and residents simply trying to cross the road. Yet U.S. 1, originally built to handle car traffic, has struggled to keep up with the unique demands of a small-island community increasingly shaped by tourism, growth, and limited infrastructure.
In many parts of the Keys, sidewalks are narrow or nonexistent, street lighting is sparse, and crosswalks are few and far between. Combined with high-speed traffic, much of it unfamiliar with local conditions, these factors create a deadly mix for pedestrians.
According to Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, increased enforcement alone won’t solve the problem.
“We need a comprehensive safety approach — better lighting, more crosswalks, clearer signage, and yes, driver awareness,” Ramsay said. “This is a community issue. We all need to take part.”
Some residents are calling for immediate action, such as lowering speed limits through residential areas and tourist zones. Others are advocating for pedestrian overpasses or designated crosswalk islands.
Monroe County officials say they are reviewing pedestrian safety plans in collaboration with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). However, any structural changes could take years to implement, and some worry that more lives will be lost in the meantime.
As the Florida Keys continue to attract more visitors each year, the pressure on local infrastructure grows. But for many residents, the recent deaths feel like a turning point.
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I hope the driver who killed the young man on the sidewalk faces sanctions.
When I was almost killed in a crosswalk on US 1 in Key West, the person who accelerated around the properly stopped car in front of her to hit me so hard I flew into the air and landed on my head* then wildly careened across the boulevard to smash into a hotel sign–she got an $80 “Fail to yield the right of way” traffic ticket.
*I was airlifted to Jackson with a subdural hematoma that dissolved overnight. I still don’t remember 22 hours.