HOUSTON – Houston continues to rank among the most dangerous cities in America for pedestrians, according to federal data.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports Houston recorded 98 pedestrian deaths in 2023, placing the city behind only Los Angeles (145 deaths) and Phoenix (109) and ahead of New York City (85). Nationally, 7,314 pedestrians were killed in 2023, a slight decrease from the previous year, while injuries increased to an estimated 68,244, according to data released this year.
NHTSA defines pedestrians as people walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting, or lying down not those using scooters, wheelchairs, skates, or other personal devices.
A new Washington Post investigation, analyzing crash data between 2010 and 2023, identifies short stretches of roads across the U.S. that have become exceptionally deadly.
Among them, a 3.5-mile section of Westheimer Road, where 36 pedestrians were hit and killed over that 13-year period. The same investigation places FM 1960 on the national list of the most dangerous roads between 2021 and 2023.
“We’ve known for a long time that Houston has a serious crash problem,” said Robin Holzer, director of LINK Houston, a transportation advocacy group.
Holzer said Westheimer repeatedly stands out.
“This particular one-mile segment of Westheimer… in the last seven years, 1,100 people have been involved in crashes,” she said.
Holzer said Houston’s built environment contributes heavily to the danger, adding that major corridors like Westheimer see heavy foot traffic because of public transit.
“Here on this block of Westheimer, there are 12,000 people a day riding the Metro 82 bus,” she said. “Every one of them is on foot at one end of their trip or the other.”
At a gas station along FM 1960, employee Gwendolyn Lincoln told KPRC 2 News the danger is constant.
“I’ve seen so many wrecks. It’s unbelievable, Lincoln said.
Lincoln described a stretch where drivers routinely speed and even race cars, motorcycles, and trucks.
“They just drive so fast down 1960,” said Lincoln.
She added that a new median has helped slow traffic “a little bit,” but said drivers and pedestrians must remain vigilant.
“People need to pay more attention especially watching the people that’s walking,” Lincoln said.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire issued a statement to KPRC 2 News acknowledging the severity of the issue and noting the data predates his administration.
“The study was conducted between 2010 and 2023 and predates my administration. The pedestrian deaths are a major concern. The City of Houston will enhance traffic enforcement and safety measures. We are making changes that will address this urgent problem.”
TxDOT also outlined new safety improvements planned for Westheimer.
“The Houston District is implementing improvements along FM 1093/Westheimer Road to help draw drivers’ attention to pedestrians. We will be updating and enhancing pedestrian crosswalks from I-610 to SH 6,” the agency said in a statement to KPRC 2 News.
TxDOT says the enhanced crosswalk design uses specialized striping to visually narrow lanes, encouraging drivers to slow down. The project is scheduled for 2027. The agency is also exploring midblock crosswalks, pending feasibility studies.
Holzer says Houston does not have to wait years for high-impact safety upgrades.
“There are easy, affordable roadway design changes we could make, like splitter islands… that would help drivers know, ‘I need to be careful, I need to slow my roll.’ We’re not doing that yet.”
While some argue Houston is inherently a “car city,” Holzer says the reality is more nuanced.
“Houston isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Holzer said. “You might live on a street where nobody’s walking, but on Westheimer thousands of people are walking to and from the bus every day.”
The city says enforcement and roadway redesigns are coming, but for those who walk these roads every day, the urgency is already clear.
“You never know when somebody’s going to run across the street,” Lincoln said. “People need to pay more attention.”
TXDOT Full Statement:
“The Houston District is implementing improvements along FM 1093/Westheimer Road to help draw drivers’ attention to pedestrians. We will be updating and enhancing pedestrian crosswalks from I-610 to SH 6. The enhanced crosswalk design uses specialized striping to visually narrow the travel lane, encouraging drivers to slow down while making the crossings more prominent. This project is scheduled to be let in 2027.
We are also exploring the addition of midblock crosswalks to give pedestrians safer crossing options beyond the existing signalized intersections. This will require feasibility studies, but we will work closely with the City of Houston to determine suitable locations.”
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