TxDOT working to combat rise in pedestrian, bicyclist deaths on El Paso roads
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — This summer TxDOT is taking its pedestrian and bicyclist safety campaign to cities around the state to remind people—whether they're driving, walking, or riding a bike—to follow the rules of the road and watch out for each other.
On Saturday, People at the El Paso Downtown Artists and Farmers Market got to see TxDOT’s highly visible “walking billboards” carrying messages reminding pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of laws to follow to protect each other and safely share the road.
Fatalities from traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists are on the rise and now account for one in five of all traffic deaths in Texas. Last year, 731 people died in pedestrian-related crashes, and another 82 were killed in crashes involving bicyclists, according to data collected from the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3).
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In the El Paso District in 2020, there were 127 traffic crashes involving pedestrians, resulting in 14 deaths and 19 serious injuries, the report shows, and there were 46 traffic crashes involving cyclists, resulting in two deaths and four serious injuries.
Drivers and pedestrians failing to yield the right of way were among the top causes, as well as driver inattention and speeding, according to the report, and alcohol impairment was reported in one of every four fatal pedestrian crashes.
Most of the crashes in which a pedestrian (69%) or cyclist (58%) died occurred in an urban area. Nighttime is the most dangerous time of day for pedestrians and bicyclists. Most traffic crashes involving a pedestrian or bicyclist occur in the early evening. The greatest number of fatal crashes involving a pedestrian occurred during the 9 p.m. hour in 2020.
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TxDOT’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign and pedestrian and bicycle safety initiative are key components of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel such as wearing a seat belt, driving the speed limit, never texting and driving and never driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. #EndTheStreakTX asks all Texans to commit to driving safely to help end the streak of daily deaths.
The information contained in this report represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report (CR-3). This information was received and processed by the department as of June 16, 2021.
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