The Rio GrandeValley has endeavored to become a haven for walkers and cyclists in recent years. It’s a commendable goal in an area that exceeds national averages for obesity, including childhood obesity, diabetes and other health issues. It’s also one of the country’s regions with the highest level of uninsured residents, and any effort to promote healthy lifestyles can reduce residents’ need for non-routine illnesses and doctor visits.
Unfortunately, a non-so-healthy statistic has arisen, so much so that the Texas Department of Transportation saw the need to launch a campaign to promote safety with regard to walkers and cyclists.
Pedestrian-related fatalities in 2021 numbered 841 and another 92 cyclists were killed on Texas roadways. It’s a 15% percent increase from the year before and comprises 20% of all traffic deaths recorded last year.
In response, TxDOT last month held a “Be Safe, Drive Smart” campaign to help remind — or educate — Texans about state laws regarding safe driving, walking and cycling. The agency highlighted the Lisa Torry Smith Act, a law that took effect last year and requires drivers to yield to any pedestrian, cyclist or other vulnerable person in a crosswalk. A driver who strikes someone can face consequences ranging from citation to felony charges depending on the severity of the injuries.
Lisa Torry Smith was a Missouri City mother who was fatally struck in 2017 as she walked her 6-year-old son to school.
Of course, the onus in improving safety on the roads doesn’t rest solely on drivers.
“Year after year, we’re seeing fatalities from traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicycles climb,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in a recent news release. “Each of us has a shared responsibility to help reverse this trend, whether you’re behind the wheel, on foot or riding a bicycle, we’re asking all Texans to be safe and smart, and that starts with obeying traffic laws.
Indeed, many cyclists and pedestrians have contributed to their own misfortunes by crossing against red lights and otherwise disregarding laws. Investigations of many cyclist deaths, in the Valley and elsewhere, have cleared drivers of any fault after it was determined that cyclists were riding against traffic or violating other traffic laws.
Valley cities and counties admirably have helped cyclists by creating dedicated bike lanes on many local roadways. However, too often they have failed to support those measures by not enforcing ordinances when residents have parked in those lanes or placed tree trimmings and other debris in them, forcing riders to veer into other lanes.
Moreover, too many drivers continue to distract themselves by using cellphones and other electronic devises, and too many cyclists, walkers and runners fail to adequately check for traffic before entering the street or changing direction, or they use headphones that impair their ability to hear emergency vehicles and other traffic coming up behind them.
Our public roadways belong to all Texans. But so does the responsibility to know and follow the laws, be alert and help ensure that everyone remains safe.
