Pedestrian, bicyclist fatalities on the rise Pedestrian fatalities resulting from traffic crashes increased 34 percent from 2017 to 2021, while bicyclist deaths increased 58 percent during the same period. The Texas Department of Transportation has kicked off a pedestrian and bicyclist campaign this month to urge all Texans to follow the state’s traffic laws and reduce those fatalities.
“We have a shared responsibility to every member of our community — to every family and every individual — to help reverse these trends and reduce traffic fatalities in Texas,” said Tx-DOT Executive Director Marc Williams.
Texas law requires drivers to stop and yield for pedestrian and bicyclists in crosswalks, to yield while turning, and to pass bikes at a safe distance. Pedestrians, in turn, are urged to cross only at intersections and crosswalks, to obey all traffic signs and signals, and to use sidewalks when possible.
