A recent accident involving Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland highlights pedestrian safety issues here and begs the question, just how safe are Houston pedestrians?
According to the Houston Chronicle, our city is ranked 41st out of 51 major cities for pedestrian safety. That ranking is disappointing, to say the least. Some say the problem is that people who hit pedestrians aren’t held accountable here. An analysis by the Chronicle in 2011 indicated that within a 3½ year time period, only 17 percent of drivers involved in 174 deadly pedestrian accidents were prosecuted.
The Chronicle reporter herself details a pedestrian accident in which she and others were hit while crossing Main Street near Baylor College of Medicine. She suffered a mild traumatic brain injury as a result, and although she was told by police following the crash that the driver responsible would “never drive again”, that wasn’t the case.
Holding drivers responsible after an accident can involve criminal charges, but often it does not. The recent well-publicized pedestrian accident involving Chief McClelland highlights this.
According to McClelland, he didn’t see the pedestrian attempting to cross at the intersection of Clay and Travis. McClelland had a green light to turn right, and the pedestrian likewise had a “walk” sign. McClelland estimates he was traveling at about two miles per hour. The man suffered injuries to his arms in what is being characterized as a “minor accident.”
Citizens here are rallying to focus more attention on pedestrian safety issues across the city. They are petitioning the City Council to open the streets to pedestrians once a week, making walking in the communities a fun and safe event. Another effort, called Complete Streets, is asking the city to pay more attention to pedestrians and bicyclists when designing streets and thoroughfares.
While pedestrians have a duty to watch out for vehicles, drivers should be held accountable when they are responsible for an accident.
Houston Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
If you are injured in a pedestrian accident, contact the Houston pedestrian accident attorney Kevin Krist. Call 832-924-3189 today to discuss your case and how we might be able to help.
