BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — The Texas Department of Transportation is launching its ‘Be Safe, Drive Smart’ campaign as pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities continue to rise every year in Texas.
“If we’re driving, we need to stop and yield for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users in the crosswalk,” said Bob Colwell, public information officer, TxDOT- Bryan District. “When we’re turning, we yield the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists.”
Colwell says it’s important to give bicyclists the room to ride.
Braydon Wright is a freshman at Texas A&M and rides his bike around campus. He says bicyclists have a responsibility too.
“A big thing that a lot of people don’t do riding their bikes is we actually have to obey traffic laws as well and stop at the stop sign and yield and everything,” said Wright. “A lot of people just shoot through the stop signs, and I feel like that might be how a lot of fatalities happen.”
Colwell says just last year, there were at least a few deaths in the Bryan- College Station area from pedestrian traffic crashes.
“There were 31 traffic crashes involving pedestrians, resulting in three fatalities, and 12 serious injuries,” said Colwell.
For bicyclists…
“There were 42 traffic crashes involving bicyclists, resulting in zero fatalities and two serious injuries,” said Colwell.
Wright says he has more time to get to class and eat when on a bike versus walking.
“I can’t imagine having to like walk to all these classes,” said Wright. “I have a bunch of 20-minute breaks so it’s like I’m eating right now on a 20-minute break which I would not be able to do that if I had to walk.”
While Wright chooses to bike around campus, he makes sure he’s safe.
“Cars expect you to stop at a stop sign like you’re supposed to so if you don’t, that could be really unsafe,” said Wright. “That’s one of the things I do, of course, is look both ways, kind of just act like I’m in a car almost. I can’t hurt anyone, but they could still hurt me just as much.”
The pedestrian and bicyclist safety campaign will run through Sept. 15, urging Texans to be safe driving, walking, and biking.