Despite a decrease in traffic crashes in 2020, Texas saw a dramatic rise in the number of people killed walking and biking on our roadways.
Statewide last year, 731 people died in pedestrian-related crashes, an increase of 9% from 2019. Crashes involving bicyclists claimed the lives of 82 people, up from 68 deaths the previous year. During 2020, 25% of fatalities in pedestrian and bicyclist-related crashes involved alcohol. These numbers reflect an alarming trend of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities increasing over the last five years.
In the Austin area in 2020:
- There were 395 traffic crashes involving pedestrians, resulting in 64 fatalities and 87 serious injuries.
- There were 264 traffic crashes involving bicyclists, resulting in 9 fatalities and 32 serious injuries.
Pedestrian and bicyclist deaths account for one in five of all traffic fatalities in the state. Safety officials attribute this growing concern to people’s widespread failure to follow state laws designed to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. To that end, the Texas Department of Transportation is kicking off a public awareness campaign this month that urges all Texans to walk smart, bike smart and drive smart.
“More than 800 people lost their lives last year in pedestrian and bicycle-related crashes on Texas roads.
One death is too many,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “Whether you’re behind the wheel, on foot or riding a bicycle, we’re reminding all Texans that they need to be safe and smart, and that starts with obeying traffic laws.”
