The best and worst US cities for pedestrians and cyclists named

Walking and cycling have proven health benefits — but there are some U.S. cities where using leg power should give residents pause for thought.

These are the locations that have been declared by a study as the most dangerous in the U.S. for biking and walking.

Ranked the most dangerous overall by the research, by personal injury law firm Wagner Reese, is Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which has the highest number of fatalities per 100,000 residents for both cyclists and pedestrians combined.

According to Wagner Reese, factors contributing to the city's ranking include a lack of sidewalks and bike lanes, poor lighting, and numerous distracted drivers.

Following Baton Rouge is Tucson in Arizona, which the study claimed has "poor road infrastructure".

Rounding out the top 10 most dangerous list are Jacksonville (third), San Bernardino (fourth), Las Vegas (fifth), Albuquerque (sixth), Detroit (seventh), Tampa (eighth), Glendale (ninth) and Phoenix (10th).

There are plenty of cities where walking and cycling are much safer, according to the study.

It claims the safest overall is New York City, which has the lowest fatality rate for cyclists and pedestrians.

Wagner Reese noted: "By focusing on making streets safer by reducing speed limits [and installing] leading pedestrian intervals, protected bike lanes, and raised crosswalks, [New York has] successfully curbed the occurrence of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities."

Second in the "safest city" ranking is Irvine, California. Here, says Wagner Reese, residents are more aware of walkers and bikers because active travel is encouraged.

The rest of the "safest" list comprises Boston (third), Frisco (fourth), Lincoln (fifth), Minneapolis (sixth), Plano (seventh), Madison (eighth), Santa Clarita (ninth) and Omaha (10th).

Wagner Reese added: "Although some cities attempt to minimize the risks for cyclists and pedestrians, injuries and fatalities still occur.

"This is largely attributed to factors that can override the best intentions of city planners. One example is having high-speed roads located near residential or commercial areas. While the infrastructure for motor vehicles is there, more needs to be done to allow for safe traversing on foot or bicycle."

The 10 most dangerous U.S. cities for pedestrians and cyclists

The 10 safest U.S. cities for pedestrians and cyclists