HOUSTON — Extra pedestrians are taking their probabilities and dying on Texas roads than in years previous. 

KHOU 11 Investigates discovered one of the crucial pushed streets in Houston can also be one of many deadliest for pedestrians — Westheimer Street. 

EDITORIAL NOTE: The above video on hit-and-run crashes throughout the Houston space initially aired Might 11.

Westheimer west of the Galleria is lined with companies and plenty of locals get to them on foot. It solely took a couple of minutes on a Wednesday afternoon to see why this avenue is harmful. 

A number of individuals dodged visitors throughout the eight-lane highway throughout lunchtime.

“I’m on break from lunch and all the pieces. So, I am attempting to get Chick-fil-A and return to work actually fast,” pedestrian Jacarius Johnson stated.

Nicole Drake stated she has additionally skipped the crosswalk to save lots of time.

“As a result of that’s additional strolling,” Drake stated.

KHOU 11 Investigates analyzed Texas Division of Transportation crash knowledge and located final 12 months 212 pedestrians died in Larger Houston, together with in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. That’s up 48% from 2018.

• 2018: 143
• 2019: 176
• 2020: 180
• 2021: 212
• 2022: (Jan-March) 58

Total, 769 individuals had been killed from 2018 till March of this 12 months. Sixteen of these deaths occurred on a stretch of Westheimer Street between Fountain View and Fondren Street.

TxDOT Site visitors Security Specialist Matthew DeLeon says the information comes as no shock.

“Westheimer is among the nation’s areas of excessive pedestrian crashes as a result of it’s a very extensive freeway,” DeLeon stated.

It’s the purpose some drivers say they use additional warning there.

“Often, I drive slower by means of there than you might be speculated to,” Priscilla Bellazaba stated.

One other driver, Early Rodriguez stated: “At this nook, I had a really, a really shut name.”

Different hotspots for pedestrian deaths embody:

• Gulf Freeway and 610 — 14 deaths since 2018
• Freeway 6, from Westheimer Street to Katy Freeway — 13 deaths
• Intersection of I-45 and 1960 — 10 deaths

In lots of of those accidents, the pedestrian is at the least partially at fault. 

In 70% of those crashes, visitors investigators famous pedestrians didn’t yield to drivers, which incorporates jaywalking, standing in the midst of the highway or utilizing a crosswalk on crimson.

“I believe the largest impediment we’re seeing is lots of people are simply crossing the road, not being conscious of visitors,” DeLeon stated.

TxDOT hopes to sort out the issue with on-line security campaigns encouraging pedestrians to make smarter decisions.

“We perceive the mentality. So, now we have to have a look at it from a humanized perspective,” DeLeon stated.

Some pedestrians darting by means of visitors on Westheimer seemed to be catching on.

“I must take extra precautions and never try this anymore,” Johnson stated.

“I’ll stroll over to the sunshine,” Drake stated.

TxDOT just lately began including boundaries to sections of I-69 to maintain pedestrians from crossing. 

DeLeon stated the state has additionally invited Harris County and the Metropolis of Houston to hitch them in developing with new methods to maintain pedestrians protected on the highway.

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