Photography courtesy of Chris Barbalis on Unsplash
Dallas was ranked the third most fatal metro area for pedestrians in Texas, with a total of 286 accidents with pedestrian harm and 289 fatalities from 2016-2020. Two recent incidents go to show that.
On Nov. 2, a man died after being fatally struck by a vehicle. At around 4:20 p.m., Dallas Police responded in the 1100 block of Easton Road, near White Rock Lake, to an accident involving a pedestrian. Police say the man was crossing the road when he was hit. It is unknown if he utilized the crosswalk. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver stayed at the scene and no charges are expected, according to DFWScanner.
On Nov. 3, another pedestrian was struck by a car near White Rock Lake. The incident happened on East Lawther Drive. The victim was attempting to cross the street when they were hit by an oncoming vehicle. The pedestrian died while authorities were on the way, according to localaccidentreports.com.
Accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists have seen an increase in the past years, with Dallas working to implement measures following a 2022 audit.
Many members of the community have also attempted to raise awareness.
Ride of Silence, a yearly event where cyclists in the community ride around White Rock Lake to honor those who have died on roads shared with vehicles, aims to help raise awareness following frequent deaths in the area. They ask participants to wear a red armband if they have been hit by a car, or want to remember any riders who have been, according to their website.
