The project leveraged the Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program to deliver pedestrian and bicyclist safety education across 203 schools statewide. A data dashboard was developed to identify high-risk, underserved schools using crash data, equity indices, and program participation history.
Benefits to Texas Transportation Safety
Injury Prevention Through Education and Outreach
The TDS program’s peer-led model empowers youth to take ownership of transportation safety in their communities. Through interactive activities, presentations, and data-driven campaigns, students learn to recognize and reduce risky behaviors such as distracted walking and unsafe crossing practices. The observed reduction in distracted walking behavior—up to 16.3% in first-year schools—demonstrates the program’s effectiveness in changing behavior and preventing injuries. By embedding safety education directly into school culture, TDS fosters long-term awareness and contributes to a safer environment for all road users.
Crash Data Insights
The project analyzed 263 youth pedestrian crashes across five major TxDOT districts—Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Austin. A significant portion (68.8%) of these crashes occurred away from intersections, and 55.9% happened in dark lighting conditions. These patterns underscore the importance of targeted safety messaging and infrastructure improvements in specific environments.
Strategic Targeting of Schools
The dashboard enables TxDOT and other stakeholders to identify high-risk schools based on crash proximity, equity index, and program history. This allows for more strategic allocation of resources and outreach efforts, ensuring that underserved communities receive the support they need.
Actionable Tools for Stakeholders
The dashboard and accompanying analysis provide actionable insights for TxDOT, school administrators, and community partners. It serves as a planning tool for future outreach, funding decisions, and research, ultimately contributing to safer environments for Texas youth.
Project Need and Approach
Youth pedestrian and bicyclist crashes in Texas remain a persistent safety concern, especially in underserved communities with limited access to safety education. Data shows that these crashes disproportionately occur in non-intersection areas, during low-light conditions, and peak during after-school hours—times when youth are most vulnerable. The project leveraged the Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program to deliver pedestrian and bicyclist safety education across 203 schools statewide. A data dashboard was developed to identify high-risk, underserved schools using crash data, equity indices, and program participation history.
Project Activities
2025
Dashboard Development
A central component of this project was the creation of a dynamic, easy-to-interpret dashboard that visualizes youth pedestrian and bicyclist crash data across Texas. The dashboard was designed to be easily updated and filtered by TxDOT district, county, and school. It includes crash data from 2014 to 2023 and integrates socio-economic indicators to help identify high-risk and underserved schools. This tool empowers stakeholders to make data-driven decisions about where to focus safety interventions.
Outreach & Engagement
Through the Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program, pedestrian and bicyclist safety education was delivered to 203 schools across 25 TxDOT districts, reaching over 250,000 students. Outreach included presentations, toolkits, and interactive activities such as pedestrian bingo and obstacle courses. Notably, 35.5% of participating schools were located in strategic counties identified for elevated crash risk and equity concerns.
Zero Hero Observations
The Zero Hero initiative involved observational studies at four schools to assess distracted walking behavior among teens. Pre- and post-intervention counts showed a 14.8% reduction in distracted walking, with first-year schools showing even greater improvement. These findings suggest that targeted education can positively influence pedestrian behavior
Survey & Evaluation
Stakeholder surveys revealed that distracted walking and speeding were the top safety concerns around school campuses. Nearly half of respondents reported lacking resources for safety improvements, and 80% were unaware of any funding request process. These insights highlight the need for better communication and support mechanisms for school safety initiatives.
Project Title: Adolescent Child Safety Education Focusing on Pedestrians/Bicyclists Aged 11-14
Project Start and End Dates: October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025
Author List: Myunghoon Ko
Sponsor/Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)