How risky is it to be a pedestrian in Texas?

People in Texas may well be known for their hospitality and good nature, but that unfortunately does not mean that they are known for their safe driving and respect of pedestrians. In fact, it seems that Texans have a serious problem on their hands when it comes to protecting pedestrians. From distracted driving to impaired driving and more, there seem to be no end to the challenges associated with getting drivers to act responsibly.

According to records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016, 2017 and 2018 were the three deadliest years for pedestrians across the state of Texas for the entire decade starting in 2009 and ending in 2018. In 2009, there were 350 recorded pedestrian deaths across the state of Texas. The worst year was 2016 when 675 people on foot were killed. That dropped to 608 in 2017 and then rose again slightly to 612 in 2018.

In looking at the five years spanning from 2014 through 2018 and honing in on select counties, Tarrant County stands out with 199 pedestrian deaths over that time. Denton County recorded a total of 34 pedestrian fatalities for those years. In Wichita County, another eight people on foot lost their lives in senseless accidents and Jack County lost one pedestrian in that period of time.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give people in Texas an accurate view of the true risks they face as pedestrians on their local streets so they can know the importance of taking action after an accident occurs.