So much speculation [[and disturbingly racialized speculation) about a simple question with a simple answer... people walk in the street because the streets are empty.

Secondary reasons are lack of safe crossings, and lack of safe/maintained sidewalks. These also relate to lack of people... without people, there is no tax dollars to maintain and upgrade streets, sidewalks, crossings, and streetlights, and it generates a generally unsafe feeling with there being no one around. In other words, people feel safer on the street.