The Houston Traffic Safety Coalition, in an effort to address the staggering number of fatalities on Texas roadways, recently turned to the community with a "walking audit" to assess and better understand pedestrian woes. With more than 4,200 people losing their lives last year in serious crashes—which included over 700 fatalities in the Houston area alone—the coalition spearheaded by TxDOT's Traffic Safety team is on a mission to make a change. "We feel it is important that we bring people to the table with a similar focus so that we can support each other in our goal to reduce deaths on our roads," Trey Salinas, a TxDOT traffic safety specialist in Houston, told TxDOT.
Compromised of non-profits, law enforcement, and government agencies, the coalition forged in 2019, serves as a platform for highlighting traffic safety and forging strategies aimed at saving lives. Speaking to the value of collaboration, Salinas pointed out, "When we work together, we have a greater chance of finding solutions that we can work on together." The diversity of members allows a focus on specific dangers such as impaired and distracted driving, by bringing various approaches and expertise to the table, as per TxDOT.
TxDOT's leadership within the coalition is instrumental, providing not only coordination but also setting standards for a broader and more effective approach to traffic safety. "Our coalition members play an important role in reaching out to as many people as possible," Salinas said. "The coalition is greater than the sum of it's parts." This collective aims to combine its monthly meetings and ongoing collaborations with unique initiatives to elevate traffic safety within the community.
The coalition's strategy involves widespread education on traffic safety and addressing the critical issues of impaired and distracted driving plaguing Houston streets. With a reinvigorated focus on these concerns, Salinas emphasized, "Success is working together on a variety is issues at a variety of events. And lastly success is knowing we did our part to help save lives on our roads and streets," as per TxDOT.
