EXPERIENCED PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER SERVING ALL OF TEXAS
Walking in Arlington should be straightforward. You step off the curb, cross the street, and get where you’re going. But every year, dozens of Arlington pedestrians end up in emergency rooms — or worse — because a driver wasn’t paying attention, ran a red light, or made a left turn without checking the crosswalk. If that has happened to you or someone you care about, knowing your rights under Texas law is the first step toward getting fair compensation.
At Dashner Law Firm | Arlington Injury & Accident Attorney, we handle pedestrian injury cases across Arlington and throughout Texas. We’ve seen the pattern of these crashes up close — which intersections are the most dangerous, which driver behaviors cause the most serious injuries, and what it takes to build a case that holds the right party accountable. This post pulls together the data, the law, and the practical steps you need to understand your situation in 2026.
What Percentage of Pedestrian Accidents Happen at Intersections in Texas and Arlington?
The short answer: intersections are where most pedestrian crashes happen, and Texas data consistently backs that up. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), roughly 50 to 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in urban Texas areas occur at or near intersections. In cities with heavy traffic corridors — and Arlington fits that description — the number skews even higher.
Why intersections? Because that’s where vehicle paths and pedestrian paths are supposed to cross safely, but often don’t. Drivers are managing traffic signals, oncoming cars, and turn decisions all at once. Pedestrians are counting on drivers to yield, and too often, drivers don’t. Distracted driving, failure to yield on right turns, and illegal left turns account for a large share of intersection pedestrian strikes in North Texas.
In Arlington specifically, corridors like Division Street, Cooper Street, and Matlock Road see heavy foot traffic mixed with fast-moving vehicles. These aren’t quiet neighborhood streets — they’re multi-lane arterials where pedestrian infrastructure is stretched thin and crossing distances are long. A pedestrian caught mid-crossing when a driver misjudges a gap faces serious injury. Traumatic brain injuries are common in these crashes because the impact often throws the pedestrian off their feet and onto the pavement.
How Many Car Accidents Involve Pedestrians in Texas?
Texas has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the country. In 2025, TxDOT reported over 800 pedestrian fatalities statewide — a number that has held stubbornly high for several years. Thousands more pedestrians were seriously injured in crashes that didn’t result in death. According to the CDC’s injury data, pedestrian injuries represent a significant share of all traffic-related hospitalizations, and Texas ranks among the worst states for pedestrian safety year after year.
The full picture is that for every fatality, there are many more pedestrian crashes resulting in broken bones, spinal injuries, internal bleeding, and long-term disability. Texas Personal Injury Attorneys who handle these cases see the full range — from a pedestrian grazed by a side mirror to someone who spent months in rehabilitation after a full-speed strike at a crosswalk.
What drives these numbers? Texas is a car-dependent state. Many roads were designed decades ago with minimal pedestrian infrastructure. Sidewalks end without warning. Crosswalk signals are timed for cars, not for older adults or people with mobility limitations. Speed limits on many arterials are high, and research published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration consistently shows that pedestrian fatality rates increase sharply as vehicle speed goes up — a pedestrian struck at 40 mph faces far worse outcomes than one struck at 25 mph.
Are Pedestrian Accidents on the Rise in Texas?
Yes, and the trend is concerning. Texas pedestrian fatalities increased significantly through the early 2020s, and while there were modest fluctuations between 2023 and 2025, the overall trajectory over the past decade has been upward. Pew Research Center has documented how pedestrian deaths nationally reversed a decades-long decline and began climbing again around 2010 — Texas mirrored and in many cases exceeded that national pattern.
Several factors contribute. Larger vehicles — SUVs and pickup trucks — now dominate Texas roads. These vehicles are more lethal to pedestrians than sedans because their higher hoods strike pedestrians at the torso or head rather than the legs. Distracted driving persists despite public awareness campaigns. And as more people work hybrid schedules, foot traffic patterns have shifted in ways that don’t always match existing pedestrian infrastructure.
In Arlington, population growth has brought more people on foot into areas that were built purely for cars. New apartment developments along major corridors have put pedestrians at crossings that were never designed to handle that volume. This city is working to improve conditions, but construction and infrastructure change takes time. Until those improvements are in place, pedestrians remain exposed.
What Happens If a Pedestrian Caused an Accident in Texas?
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 33.001. Under this law, an injured person can still recover damages even if they were partially at fault for the accident — as long as their share of fault doesn’t exceed 50 percent. If a pedestrian is found 30 percent responsible for the crash, their compensation is reduced by 30 percent. If they’re found 51 percent or more at fault, they recover nothing.
This matters in pedestrian cases because drivers and their insurance companies routinely try to shift blame onto the pedestrian. Common arguments include: the pedestrian crossed outside a crosswalk, was wearing dark clothing at night, darted into traffic, or was looking at a phone. Some of these arguments have merit in certain situations. Many don’t. The question isn’t whether the pedestrian made any mistake — it’s how much each party’s negligence contributed to the crash.
As Justia’s Texas law resources explain, comparative fault analysis requires a careful look at all the evidence — police reports, surveillance footage, witness statements, and accident reconstruction. A pedestrian who jaywalked but was struck by a driver running a red light at high speed is a very different case from one who stepped off a curb directly in front of a car that had no time to stop. Context matters enormously.
If you were injured as a pedestrian and you’re worried about your own role in the accident, talk to a personal injury pedestrian lawyer before you say anything to the other driver’s insurance company. Adjusters are trained to extract statements that increase your perceived fault. Anything you say can be used to reduce what you’re owed.
How to Prevent Pedestrian Accidents in Texas?
Prevention works on two levels: individual behavior and infrastructure. Both matter, but they’re not equally weighted. Most pedestrian safety research places primary responsibility on drivers and road design, not on pedestrians — a fact worth keeping in mind when the public conversation defaults to telling walkers to be more careful.
That said, there are practical steps pedestrians can take to reduce their risk in Texas. Use marked crosswalks and wait for the walk signal. Make eye contact with drivers before stepping off the curb — a signal light doesn’t guarantee a driver sees you. At night, bright or reflective clothing significantly increases how early a driver can detect you. Avoid walking while looking at your phone in high-traffic areas. These aren’t guarantees of safety, but they reduce exposure.
For drivers, the rules are simpler and carry more legal weight. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks — Texas Transportation Code § 552.003 requires it. Don’t block crosswalks when stopped at a red light. Give extra attention to intersections near schools, parks, and transit stops, where foot traffic is higher. Put the phone down completely. According to the CDC, distraction is a leading contributing factor in pedestrian crashes, and even hands-free phone use impairs driver attention.
At the infrastructure level, better lighting, shorter crossing distances, raised crosswalks, and pedestrian countdown signals all reduce crash rates. Arlington has made investments in some of these areas, but gaps remain on older corridors. If you see a dangerous intersection in your neighborhood, the City of Arlington’s traffic engineering department accepts public requests for safety improvements.
How to Avoid Left Turn Accidents Involving Pedestrians in Texas?
Left turn accidents are one of the most preventable — and most common — types of pedestrian crashes. A driver turning left at an intersection has to process multiple things simultaneously: oncoming traffic, the traffic signal, the turning radius, and any pedestrians crossing the street they’re turning onto. In practice, drivers often focus on the gap in oncoming traffic and miss the pedestrian entirely.
This is especially deadly because left-turning vehicles are moving toward pedestrians rather than parallel to them. The pedestrian has less time to react, and the impact angle tends to be worse. TxDOT crash data shows left-turn conflicts as a recurring factor in serious pedestrian injuries at Texas intersections.
For drivers, the fix is a deliberate habit: before completing a left turn, scan the crosswalk on the street you’re turning onto. Do this even when the light is green and traffic flow seems clear. Look before you accelerate, not while you’re accelerating. If a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, stop. Under Texas Transportation Code § 552.003, you are required to yield to them.
For pedestrians, knowing this risk exists is useful. When crossing the street you’re on, be especially alert to vehicles in the oncoming lanes that appear to be slowing for a left turn. Make eye contact with the driver if possible. Don’t assume a turning driver has seen you just because they’ve made eye contact with oncoming traffic. Move quickly and predictably through the crosswalk.
If a left-turn driver hit you in a crosswalk, liability in Texas typically falls on the driver. The pedestrian who is lawfully crossing has the right of way. Establishing that you were in the crosswalk, had the walk signal, and were moving in a predictable path is the core of the liability case. Surveillance cameras at many Arlington intersections can capture this, and a pedestrian accident attorney can subpoena that footage before it’s overwritten.
What Compensation Can a Pedestrian Accident Victim Recover in Texas?
Texas law allows injured pedestrians to seek compensation for economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages include medical bills — emergency care, surgeries, hospitalization, physical therapy, and future treatment needs — plus lost wages and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In cases where the driver was intoxicated, was texting, or otherwise acted with gross disregard for others’ safety, Texas courts may award exemplary (punitive) damages. These are designed to punish particularly reckless conduct and deter similar behavior, not just to compensate the victim.
The value of any pedestrian injury claim depends on several factors: the severity of the injuries, how clearly liability can be established, the available insurance coverage, and how well the case is documented. Serious injuries — fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage — generally produce higher damages because the long-term costs and quality-of-life impacts are significant. Wrongful death cases involving pedestrians can also be brought by surviving family members under Texas law; Dashner Law Firm’s wrongful death attorneys handle these cases with the seriousness they deserve.
Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003. That clock starts on the date of the accident. Waiting too long to contact a pedestrian accident compensation lawyer can cost you the right to recover anything.
What to Do Right After a Pedestrian Accident in Arlington?
The steps you take in the hours after a pedestrian crash directly affect your legal case. If you are physically able:
Call 911 and get a police report filed. The officer’s observations about fault, driver behavior, and road conditions matter later. Seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel okay — adrenaline masks pain, and many serious injuries show up on imaging that a self-assessment misses. Mayo Clinic notes that traumatic brain injuries in particular can have delayed symptom onset.
Photograph everything at the scene — vehicle positions, crosswalk markings, traffic signals, your injuries, and any property damage. Get names and contact information from witnesses. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company without first speaking to a Texas pedestrian injury attorney. Insurance adjusters are not neutral parties.
Contact a lawyer quickly. Evidence disappears. Surveillance footage is overwritten on short cycles. Witness memories fade. The sooner a pedestrian accident attorney is involved, the better the chances of preserving what you need to prove your case. You can read about our experience and track record handling injury cases across Texas.
Why Local Representation Matters in Arlington Pedestrian Cases?
Pedestrian accident cases in Arlington are handled in Tarrant County courts. Knowing those courts — the judges, the local rules, how juries in this area evaluate these cases — is practical knowledge that affects strategy. A lawyer who handles cases across Texas but has deep roots in Arlington brings both breadth of experience and local context.
Dashner Law Firm | Arlington Injury & Accident Attorney represents pedestrian accident victims throughout Arlington and across Texas. Our practice covers the full scope of Texas pedestrian accident cases — from intersection strikes to hit-and-run incidents. If the driver who hit you fled the scene, a Texas pedestrian hit-and-run attorney can help you pursue compensation through your own uninsured motorist coverage and other available avenues. For more on our practice areas and credentials, visit our about us page.
Geoffrey Dashner and our team understand what it takes to get pedestrian accident victims fair results — not quick settlements that leave money on the table, but outcomes that actually account for your injuries, your recovery time, and the impact on your life. See what our clients say about working with us.
Talk to a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a family member was struck by a vehicle while walking in Arlington or anywhere in Texas, do not wait to get legal advice. The insurance company on the other side is already working the case. You should be too.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover for you. Visit our Arlington office at 4275 Little Rd # 205, Arlington, TX 76016, or call us directly at (817) 203-8018. You can also learn more about our work at dashnerlaw.com.
Pedestrian injuries are serious. The legal process that follows can be complicated. Let us handle the case so you can focus on getting better.
