BRYAN, Texas — With the accident of two pedestrians over the weekend, adding to the total number of pedestrian crashes for the month of October, TX Dot has created a new campaign called "Be safe. Drive smart"
This campaign was designed in the hopes of making drivers more aware of their surroundings especially when it comes to those on foot or bike.
Tx Dot reported in 2020, there were 4,852 traffic crashes involving pedestrians in Texas,
With 22 of those happening right here in Brazos County, resulting in three fatalities and three serious injuries.
“Everything that we do is about ending the streak. In the streak we haven’t had a deathless day on our roadway since November 7 of 2000,” said Bobby Colwell, Bryan District.
According to Tx Dot from 2016 to 2020, pedestrian fatalities resulting from traffic crashes increased 5 percent. Knowing that at some point everyone will play the role of a pedestrian whether it's walking from a ball game or just as simple as crossing the street.
"If we're driving, we need to focus on going down the roadway and not hitting anything that is our main thing and if we are walking, we don't need to be on the phone either we need to be paying attention and looking both ways and we just all need to be watching out for one another, " said Colwell.
In Texas there are rules to help keep pedestrians safe some examples are always cross at crosswalks, if a sidewalk is provided use it, as a driver you should yield the right of way to pedestrians. Traffic enforcement officers are always watching.
“Penalties for anything with that can range from a simple traffic ticket where it can be a few hundred dollars or depending on circumstances say you were intoxicated during an event you get in a car and hit a person it could go into felony type punishments,” Kole Taylor, Bryan PD Officer said.
Officers and TX dot officials encourage drives and pedestrians to limit all distractions while in traffic.
“Typically, when a wreck occurs, or somebody is hit by a car somebody did something wrong whether it was a pedestrian or the car traveling, “Office Taylor said.