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Fort Bend County forum pushes for pedestrian safety
A pedestrian advocacy group co-hosted a forum address safety concerns for pedestrians in Fort Bend County. FOX 26's Angie Rodriguez spoke to attendees at the forum, including Sheriff Eric Fagan and families who have personal stories behind their advocacy.
RICHMOND, Texas - On Friday morning, residents in Fort Bend County and its surrounding area were invited to attend a Fort Bend County Pedestrian Safety Forum hosted by Citizens for Road Safety Texas and the county's DA. According to the press release, the Forum planned to address ongoing threats to the safety of pedestrians, discuss enhanced enforcement of the new Texas crosswalk law – the Lisa Torry Smith Act, and explore solutions to make communities safe.
Pedestrian advocacy in Fort Bend County
The backstory:
The main host of the event, Citizens for Road Safety Texas, was the group able to push for the Lisa Torry Smith Act.
The group was originally founded by Gina Torry, after her sister, Lisa Torry Smith, was killed in a crosswalk while walking her son to school.
The Lisa Torry Smith Act requires drivers to stop and yield to pedestrians or other vulnerable road users that are lawfully in a crosswalk. It also explains possible criminal penalties that one could face for injuring or killing a pedestrian.
"Before this act took place, the most we could do is write a ticket. For someone’s life, to write a ticket," Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said. "This act holds people responsible."
‘Dangerous by design'
Why you should care:
Citizens for Road Safety Texas says that the Greater Houston area, including Fort Bend County, is among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in the United States.
"These tragedies happen far too frequently, and every single one of them is avoidable," Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton said.
Citing some federal statistics from GHSA, they continue stating that many roads are "dangerous by design" and need significant structural improvements.
"The driving culture also needs to better reflect people’s legal right to live in and move around their communities safely."
Local perspective:
After an almost 30-year marriage, Steve Martin lost his wife while she was using a crosswalk on her lunch break.
"You know one minute she’s there, and the next, she’s just gone," Martin said.
Their son, Zachary Martin, says that the empty space in their home will never be filled.
"She was two blocks away from her office, and four blocks from city hall," Zachary Martin said.
The Martins attended the forum on Friday, hoping that by sharing their personal story they can spread awareness to others.
The Source: The information in this article came from a press release published by Citizens for Road Safety Texas, along with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. The Martin family shared their story at the event.