Keep an eye out

Warm weather brings people outdoors to explore, and whether that’s on a bike, on foot, or behind the wheel, it’s important to keep an eye out for one another.

“We continue to see an increase in the number of crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists each year,” said Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Executive Director Marc Williams. “All of us share a responsibility to watch out for each other, but people on foot or riding a bike are most at risk for serious injury or worse in a crash with a car, which means drivers must be extra vigilant.”

“One in five traffic fatalities involved a pedestrian or bicyclist,” according to TxDOT. With the number of accidents continuing to rise, TxDOT launched a new “Be Safe. Drive Smart” pedestrian and bicyclist safety campaign in March. This campaign urges patrons to “drive like a Texan: kind, courteous and safe” and reminds them to follow the rules of sharing the road.

If you’re driving:

• Stop and yield for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in crosswalks.
• Give bikes space and pass at a safe distance.
• Yield when turning and always look twice for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Follow the posted speed limit and adjust your speed to conditions.

If you’re walking:

• Cross the street only at crosswalks and intersections.
• Stick to sidewalks, but if none exists, walk facing traffic on the left side unless it is obstructed or unsafe.

If you’re biking:

• Stop at red lights and stop signs.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic and use bike lanes or ride as near as possible to the right-hand curb.
• Use hand signals for turns or stops.
• Equip your bike with lights at night, using a white light on the front and a red light or reflector on the back.”

This reminder of road rules helps prevent accidents like the one that happened to bicyclist Bryan Kight, the heart of the campaign. In September of 2024, Kight was “riding [his] bike in a bike lane near [his] apartment in Austin when a driver of a Ford Expedition failed to yield to [him] as she turned left,” said Kight in a soundbite describing the accident. “It caused me to fly off my bike and land on my hands in the middle of the street… I actually had to call the 911 operator myself, straining my neck to look and find the street signs of where I was laying on the ground.”

Kight broke his left femur and fractured his left wrist. Through surgeries and rehabilitation, “the crash really changed my life for the better part of half of the year,” said Kight. 

“By participating in TxDOT’s campaign, I want to remind Texans to always follow traffic laws and share the road to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe because I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I did,” he said.

Accidents happen, but being cautious and following road safety rules can reduce the risk. “All of the pain and heartache and aggravation that my family and I went through could have been avoided if the driver had not been in such a hurry and had just yielded to me in the intersection,” said Kight. 

For more information, visit: https://www.txdot.gov/safety/traffic-safety-campaigns/bicycle-safety.html