San Antonio roadways see decrease in deadly crashes involving pedestrians

The number of traffic fatalities in San Antonio was down 26 percent in 2017.

The 143 fatalities in 2017 is down from the 193 deaths in 2016 and the 154 seen in 2015.

Vision Zero San Antonio has been tracking the decrease in deaths since 2015. It includes people driving, walking, biking and riding on motorcycles.

Fatalities from automobile crashes were down 16 percent. For people on motorcycles, it was down 33 percent, pedestrians down 32 percent, and fatalities for people on bicycles had the greatest drop, falling 60 percent.

One-third of all fatal and incapacitating pedestrian crashes happened on 1 percent of San Antonio roadways, demonstrating that a significant portion of all severe pedestrian crashes are not happening randomly but rather occurring in concentrated areas.

Nearly half, 49 percent, of the severe pedestrian crashes happened over a six-hour period from 6 p.m. to midnight, with the greatest number of crashes happening in the 6 p.m. hour.

The majority, 59 percent, of the severe pedestrian crashes took place during the fall and winter months — September through February. More than a third, 35 percent, happened in October, November and December.

“Fortunately, they are down from last year. Unfortunately, it's still 143 people that lost their lives.”

“What we've done is over the last year, we've actually, through the City Council, we had funding to implement some Vision Zero-specific projects, pedestrian crossings in high traffic areas. So we have 10 of those complete and we're planning more for fiscal year 2018 as well.”

“We take a five E approach to Vision Zero, which is looking at education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement and evaluating the crashes.”