In 2021, there were 824 pedestrian fatalities and 90 bicyclist fatalities in Texas, which is 20.4 percent of all roadway fatalities combined, or one in five fatalities. This represents a 15.2 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities and a 13.9 percent increase in bicyclist fatalities from 2020. These numbers show that pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities are rising, especially in Texas, and account for an increasingly higher percentage of those fatally injured in the U.S. and in Texas. The goal of this project is to provide resources and information to law enforcement personnel so they can be better equipped to help increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists through enforcement efforts. Training workshops, videos, and other resources developed in this project are available at no cost to law enforcement.
Key Takeaways:
- A four-hour Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) approved training course.
- Public videos providing an overview of pedestrian and bicycle laws and “how to” conduct enforcement.
- Brochure that can be handed out during enforcement efforts to educate violators.
Our Approach:
Under this project, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute developed training curriculum for law enforcement covering the details of the transportation code related to pedestrians and bicyclists and conduct training workshops with law enforcement throughout the state of Texas. Additionally, roll-call videos have been produced to provide an overview of pedestrian and bicycle laws and how they can conduct enforcement efforts to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
Findings:
Pre and post-tests used in training have shown increased knowledge on the part of law enforcement officers, which can help them better enforce the laws. In 2022, officer scores from pre to post-test increased an average of 15 percentage points. In course evaluations, attendees rated the course content a 4.5 out of 5 and the instructors a 4.6 out of 5.
To address traffic safety issues, traffic safety professionals often look to the “E’s” (Engineering, Education and Enforcement) to address the problem. Law enforcement are the leaders of the enforcement arm and are tasked with enforcing laws to increase safety. However, law enforcement do not receive specific training or instruction on laws pertaining to pedestrians and bicyclists, leaving many law enforcement officers unfamiliar with these laws and ill-equipped when responding to pedestrian and bicyclist-related crashes. Similarly, there is little training on how to properly conduct pedestrian and bicycle safety enforcement. Law enforcement officials also finds themselves in the role of providing education to the public through their enforcement efforts, so it is important to provide them with the education and resources they need to be able to educate motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists during enforcement operations. Enforcement of pedestrian and bicyclist-related laws is more than just handing out tickets, it is also about educating the public on the laws to increase safety for everyone. This project aims to fill that gap in knowledge by providing law enforcement officers with training and resources.
View our law enforcement resources.
For more information on this project, please contact:
Neal Johnson
TTI Associate Transportation Researcher
(512) 407-1126
[email protected]
Project Title: Law Enforcement Training on Pedestrian and Bicycle Laws
Project Start and End Dates: October 2018 – PRESENT
Author List: Neal Johnson, Joan Hudson
Sponsor/Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation