TxDOT ‘walking billboards’ hit New Boston Road as pedestrian crash season peaks

TEXARKANA, Texas – Drivers on New Boston Road got a hard-to-miss safety reminder Thursday as Texas Department of Transportation street teams lined the sidewalks wearing yellow “walking billboards” with pedestrian safety messages.

The teams stood at intersections along New Boston Road from Summerhill Road to North Robison Road on Nov. 5, holding signs in English and Spanish with messages such as “Wait for the signal,” “Slow down” and “Braking news. Stop for people in crosswalks.”

The stop is part of TxDOT’s statewide Be Safe. Drive Smart. campaign, which is sending street teams to every TxDOT district this fall to focus on places where drivers and pedestrians share the road. The campaign runs through October and November, the two months when pedestrian crashes are most likely to happen in Texas.

The most dangerous months for people walking

In 2025, 694 people were killed by vehicles in Texas while walking, and nearly 20% of those deaths happened in October and November, according to TxDOT. Those two months had the highest number of crashes involving pedestrians all year.

TxDOT said 138 pedestrians were killed and another 295 were seriously injured in Texas crashes in October and November 2025.

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Most of those crashes happen after dark. Last year, 68% of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in Texas occurred at night. With daylight saving time ending Nov. 1, more drivers are now on the road in the dark during their evening commutes.

Pedestrian deaths in Texas dropped 10% from 2024 to 2025, but people walking still made up 18% of all traffic deaths, despite being involved in about 1% of crashes, according to TxDOT.

“People walking are already at greater risk when they are near traffic,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “But when you add low visibility at night, that risk increases. Drivers and pedestrians alike need to stay alert, visible and focused.”

In a campaign interview, TxDOT’s Heather Singleton said speed plays a major role.

“Driving a few miles per hour over the limit may not seem like a big deal, but it can be the difference between life and death in a collision with a pedestrian,” Singleton said.

A family’s plea

TxDOT is sharing the story of Jose Flores III, a 16-year-old from San Antonio who was hit by a truck while walking in a crosswalk last year. He died in the hospital a month later, in October 2025.

“Please watch out for pedestrians. Be careful, because no family should have to go through this,” said his mother, Amanda Saucedo.

Safety tips for drivers

• Stay alert and scan for pedestrians everywhere, at all times.
• Stop and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
• Yield the right of way to pedestrians when turning.
• Put your phone away before you begin driving.
• Be cautious when passing stopped vehicles, which can block your view of pedestrians.
• Follow posted speed limits and drive to conditions.
• Be especially careful in an SUV or pickup truck, which have large blind spots that can make it hard to see pedestrians.

Safety tips for pedestrians

• Cross the street only at intersections and crosswalks.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing. Don’t assume traffic will stop for you.
• Follow all traffic and crosswalk signals. Look left, right, then left again before crossing.
• Put away your phone or earbuds that take your attention off the road.
• Stay visible. Wear reflective materials or use a flashlight when it’s dark.

Be Safe. Drive Smart. is part of TxDOT’s Drive like a Texan: Kind. Courteous. Safe. initiative. More information is available at DriveLikeATexan.com.