Texas ranks as the 10th most dangerous U.S. state for pedestrians, according to a new analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
The Fitch Law Firm sifted through NHTSA reports from 2011 and 2020 to determine which states pose the biggest threats to pedestrians and found that Texas averaged 2.04 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents.
The number of pedestrian deaths in Texas also jumped by 40% over the 10 years covered in the study. Over that period, the Lone Star State had 5,650 such fatalities, ranking it third-highest behind California and Florida.
That may come as little surprise given the spread-out nature of Texas cities, its paucity in public transportation options and deeply entrenched car culture.
Walk Friendly Communities, a nationally recognized organization that works with municipalities to promote walkable environments, ranks cities on a tier-ranked system based on their pedestrian friendliness. Austin is the only Texas city to earn a slot on its list.
Factors such as intense heat, lack of pedestrian connectivity and Texas’ aforementioned car culture contribute to dangers faced by San Antonio pedestrians, according to Joe Conger, a spokesman for the city’s transportation department However, he said local officials are working to improve conditions.
The city, for example, recently landed a $4.4 U.S. Transportation Department grant to help improve the safety of Zarzamora Street, one of its most hazardous corridors. The money will fund mid-street crosswalks on Zarzamora similar to those along Broadway in front of the Doseum Z-Crossing.
New Mexico ranked as the most dangerous state for pedestrians in Fitch’s study. That state averaged 3.2 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people and tallied a 100% increase in pedestrian deaths over the 10 years analyzed.
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This article appears in May 31 – Jun 13, 2023.