These three NJ cities rank among 20 worst in U.S. for pedestrians

"I'm walkin' here!", exclaimed by Dustin Hoffman in the film Midnight Cowboy, forever cemented New York City as a place where people traversing the streets on foot were at their own peril.

But more than a half-century later, NYC musters only the 8th-place spot on Insurify's list of the most dangerous U.S. cities for pedestrians, and a New Jersey municipality takes the top, or bottom, position.

Elizabeth ranked No. 1 for 2022, according to the research released Monday, with Jersey City checking in at No. 11 and Plainfield at No. 19.

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Culling data from 4.6 million car insurance applications, Insurify's rankings were determined by the average number of drivers, per 10,000, who receive a police citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

The national average is 4.07 per 10,000, Insurify said, also pointing out the number of drivers who report having been cited for this infraction equates approximately to the number of Americans who have two different-colored eyes.

Rates in the three New Jersey cities to make the Top 20 were much higher.

In Plainfield, the ratio was 19.5 drivers for every 10,000, 4.8 times greater than the national average and on par with locations like Casper, Wyoming, and both Lodi and Palo Alto, California.

Jersey City's rate was 25.7 per 10,000, which is 6.3 times more than the national average and equal to the measurement for Albany, New York.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth effectively lapped the field, registering 46.7 failure to yield citations for every 10,000 drivers, nearly nine more than 2nd-place Schenectady, New York (38.1). Elizabeth's rate was a staggering 11.5 times more than the national average, according to Insurify.

Louisville, Kentucky had the lowest rate in Insurify's study among cities with 50,000 or more residents, at 0.69 citations per 10,000 drivers.

Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com

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These are the best hiking spots in New Jersey

A trip to New Jersey doesn't have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.

From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it's a great workout.

Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners' suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.

If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.

Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.

You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.

Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.

If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.

Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it's probably best to save your hike for another day.

I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions: