Walking billboards in Texas cities urge public to keep pedestrians safe

A rising threat to pedestrian safety in Texas has alarmed state transportation officials, who are responding this weekend with walking billboards to remind drivers and those on foot to keep their eyes peeled while on the road.

In Austin alone, pedestrians made up 43% of the 58 traffic deaths just six months into the year, according to Austin police data last month. Pedestrian deaths have increased by 32% over the same period last year. From January to June. a total of 25 pedestrians died after being struck in Austin traffic. Police at the end of June last year had tallied only 19 deaths. By the end of 2021, the city would record 45 pedestrian deaths.

Statewide, pedestrians account for as many as 1 in 5 traffic fatalities, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The agency's data show that in 2021, of the 5,366 traffic crashes involving pedestrians in Texas, 841 people were killed, a 15% increase in pedestrian fatalities from the previous year.

RELATED:Pedestrian, motorcycle cases dominate traffic deaths in first half of 2022 in Austin

“Only 1% of traffic crashes in Texas involve pedestrians, yet pedestrians account for 19% of all roadway deaths,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in a statement. “That’s because pedestrians lack the protective equipment — airbags, seat belts and bumpers — common to vehicles."

TxDOT's statewide “Be Safe. Drive Smart” pedestrian safety campaign is deploying agency teams to high-traffic areas in cities across Texas, wearing sandwich boards with messages to remind drivers and pedestrians why it’s important to follow the rules of the road and watch out for one another.

On Saturday, the teams were dispatched in Austin to South Congress Avenue and Sixth Street.

"To keep our most vulnerable road users safe, we urge motorists to always be on the lookout for people walking," Williams said. "Pedestrians also have the responsibility to be aware of their surroundings and follow the rules of the road.”

TxDOT offers these safety reminders to prevent a potentially deadly encounter involving pedestrians in traffic: 

For drivers

• Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
• When turning, yield the right of way to pedestrians.
• Be cautious when passing stopped buses or other vehicles.
• Put your cellphone away and avoid in-car distractions, so you’re always prepared if pedestrians enter your path.
• Follow the posted speed limit and drive according to conditions.

For pedestrians

• Cross the street only at intersections and crosswalks. Look left, right and then left again before crossing.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing. Don’t assume drivers see you.
• Follow all traffic and crosswalk signals.
• Use the sidewalk. If there isn’t one, walk on the left side of the road, facing oncoming traffic.
• When walking, put away electronic devices that take your eyes and ears off the road.
• Wear reflective materials or use a flashlight at night.

Austin police Lt. William White, who supervises the Police Department's vehicular homicide unit, told the American-Statesman last month that it appears that many of the city's pedestrian deaths could have been avoided.

For example, 13 of the 25 pedestrian deaths in the first half of this year involved pedestrians failing to yield or pedestrians not using a crosswalk.

"We're definitely seeing a trend where it's not necessarily a vehicle's fault," White said.

In a dozen of the pedestrian deaths, the drivers who hit them failed to stop and render aid. Remember, state law requires you to stop and render aid.