A video highlighting pedestrian safety while walking your dog recently has gone viral on Walk. Bike. Safe.’s (WBS’s) Instagram! With over 10 million views, the goal of the video is to draw attention to safe practices on National Dog Day in an entertaining and relatable way.
In a humorous reel about the 10 stages of walking your dog, the caption of the video encourages the public to walk on the sidewalk if one is available and use crosswalks to cross the street.
An outreach initiative developed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), WBS aims to address pedestrian and bicyclist safety through an outreach and educational campaign for all road users.
“The main goal of the WBS Texas project is to reach Texans with safety messaging about what they can do as a driver, pedestrian or bicyclist to increase safety on the road,” explains Neal Johnson, TTI Assistant Research Scientist. “Our primary mechanism for messaging is social media and we are always looking for new and creative ways to reach people. We have been posting Instagram Reels for about a year and they have shown to be very popular. They have helped us reach people that don’t regularly follow us, which is exactly who we want to reach. However, we never could have foreseen just how popular this video would get!”
Bicycle and pedestrian crashes and fatalities are on the rise nationwide, particularly in Texas. In 2023, there were 5,924 pedestrian-involved crashes in the state, resulting in 808 deaths, according to TxDOT. This project represents a crucial step toward reducing pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities on Texas roads.
“The WBS project is leading the way as we aim to #EndTheStreak on Texas roadways,” says Elizabeth Jones, TxDOT Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Planner. “In addition to leveraging social media for educational outreach, WBS offers an extensive YouTube library with videos on pedestrian and bicycle safety and regulations. The team also conducts numerous in-person presentations and training sessions across the state, promoting safety on our roads, sidewalks and bike paths. Their work is making a widespread impact in keeping Texans safe.”
Join us in creating safe roadways by visiting walkbikesafetexas.org for more pedestrian and bicyclist safety resources.
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