Why are Houston's roads so dangerous and unwalkable? We prioritized driving fast.

Harris County has a persistent problem with pedestrian deaths. So far in 2021, 83 pedestrians died in motor vehicle accidents, the highest death count of any Texas county. If deaths continue at this rate, the county will come in just under its 2020 pedestrian death total of 149. 

Since 2011, Harris County has been responsible for 1,230 vehicle-involved pedestrian fatalities, nearly 20% of the total such deaths that happened in the entire state.  

Why are there so many pedestrian deaths in Harris County? According to Houston’s chief transportation planner, David Fields, it’s because Houston roadways weren’t built primarily to protect pedestrians.

“Historically, Houston has built its transportation to move people fast,” Fields said. “And what that means is, we have not prioritized safety.”

Some roadways are deadlier than most. According to the City of Houston, 60% of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur on only 6% of its roads. 

A Houston Chronicle analysis of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) crash data found that the 1.6 mile stretch of Tomball Parkway (State Highway 249) between Holister Road and Antoine Road had 23 pedestrian deaths between Jan. 1, 2011 and July 31, 2021. 

The area surrounding the West Oaks Mall saw a total of 17 pedestrian deaths during the same time period. 

Last year, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced a Vision Zero plan: to reduce all traffic deaths—including pedestrian deaths—to zero by 2030. More than 40 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Austin and San Antonio, are part of the Vision Zero network and are pursuing the same goal of zero fatalities and severe injuries. 

Most Harris County pedestrian fatalities occur within the City of Houston. Of the 83 pedestrians who have died in the county this year, 52 died in Houston.

“What we want to do is make our streets safer, and that does mean slowing down traffic,” said Fields, who helped develop Houston’s Vision Zero plan and is now implementing it. 

Their plan includes a citywide campaign on street safety, designing streets to support safer speeds and constructing sidewalks and bicycle facilities. 

“We talk a lot about traffic signals and signage,” Fields said. The city also considers planning elements like “corner radius, the width of the street, the width of each lane, and where you put parking.” 

The Houston Chronicle’s analysis of pedestrian fatalities from 2011 to the present, as provided by the TxDOT crash report system, shows that high numbers of pedestrian deaths are more likely to occur in areas of Houston that have lower incomes. Journalist and transportation expert Angie Schmitt examined pedestrian deaths across the U.S. and found a similar trend: Those affected were more likely to be part of low-income and minority communities.

“This tells us we have not invested equitably in safe transportation across the city,” Fields said. “And the results are showing higher rates of crashes, injuries and deaths in [low-income] neighborhoods.”

A 2012 study from West Virginia University found that male pedestrians died 2.3 times the rate that female pedestrians died in vehicle-pedestrian accidents across the country. In Harris County, 2.7 times more males died in pedestrian accidents than females. 

The authors of the 2012 study found that out of all pedestrians who had been struck by a car, males were more likely to die from the accident. Several factors affected the finding, including choosing to cross streets with faster traffic, drug usage and cell phone usage. 

Houston’s Vision Zero plan goal of eliminating traffic deaths may seem unreachable, but the city’s chief transportation planner said that every life saved on the path to zero is valuable.

“The belief is not that we will eliminate all crashes forever,” Fields said. “But a mistake should not end in death. Our transportation system must be more forgiving.”