Thats a bit of a specious argument because we're mostly talking about big cities.

If you walk in the designated areas there is no way you'd be legally confined anywhere.

I've been struck, or nearly struck by cars several times walking in a "designated area" both in uncontrolled and controlled intersections where I had the right of way. In almost all cases, the driver was either utterly oblivious (my favorite being the cop who was looking for vehicular traffic from the left, and accelerated into me while I was in a crosswalk on his right side) or I was plausibly hidden by their A-pillar.

That you place the lion's share of the blame on pedestrians is specious.

Pedestrians are always oblivious.