Pedestrian Suffers Serious Injuries In North Austin Car Collision

AUSTIN, TX — A pedestrian suffered potentially life-threatening injuries after being hit by a vehicle in North Austin Wednesday night.

Via Twitter, Austin-Travis County EMS officials said the incident occurred in the lower deck along the 4200 block of Interstate 35 northbound just before 8 p.m.. According to medics, the victim, a man in his 50s, sustained serious, potentially life-threatening injuries.

No further details were given.

The incident marks the fourth time a pedestrian has been hit by a car on Austin roadways in a month's time. Previous recent incidents include:

• May 18, when Cesar Saunders, 15, was killed while trying to cross Interstate 35 northbound along the 14000 block of the highway just before 11 p.m. Police said Saunders, a Connally High School student, was struck by a red, 2014 Honda Civic traveling northbound before dying of his injuries.
• On May 9, Michael Mayes, 50, was killed at he tried crossing the 100 block of the interstate going southbound just before 3 p.m.
• On Sunday, April 21, another Austin pedestrian was killed trying to cross the 5100 block of I-35 at around 11 a.m. The pedestrian, a man in his 40s, was rushed to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries before succumbing to his injuries.

The growing number of pedestrians being hit while attempting to reach I-35 recently prompted the Texas Department of Transportation to launch a public awareness campaign dubbed "Stay Alive, Don't Cross I-35." Launched in February, the initiative included installation of "no pedestrian crossing" signs along the highway.

Related story: Texas Agency Urges Pedestrians To 'Stay Alive, Don't Cross I-35'

In addition to the new signs, TxDOT also provided businesses with window clings and table tents emblazoned with the "Stay Alive, Don't Cross I-35" slogan. These items are available for any businesses along I-35 that wish to participate in the program, officials noted.

In response to an information request from Patch, TxDot spokeswoman Diann Hodges provided tallies of pedestrian deaths along the interstate from 2015-18. Last year, seven pedestrians died while trying to cross the main artery, more than double the number from 2017, according to the data. The highest number of fatalities in recent years was in 2016, when eight pedestrians died on the highway after being struck by vehicles. The breakdown:

2015

• Fatal crashes: 3
• Suspected serious injury crashes: 3
• Non-incapacitating injury crashes: 1
• Possible injury crashes: 0
• Non-injury crashes: 0
• Unknown injury crashes: 0

2016

• Fatal crashes: 8
• Suspected serious injury crashes: 2
• Non-incapacitating injury crashes: 3
• Possible injury crashes: 1
• Non-injury crashes: 1
• Unknown injury crashes: 0

2017:

• Fatal crashes: 3
• Suspected serious injury crashes: 1
• Non-incapacitating injury crashes: 1
• Possible injury crashes: 2
• Non-injury crashes: 1
• Unknown injury crashes: 0

2018:

• Fatal crashes: 7
• Suspected serious injury crashes: 2
• Non-incapacitating injury crashes: 0
• Possible injury crashes: 2
• Non-injury crashes: 0
• Unknown injury crashes: 0