Published by Carabin Shaw – San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers
In 2024, TxDOT CRIS data recorded 769 pedestrian crashes and 83 pedestrian deaths in San Antonio and Bexar County — one of the highest tolls in Texas. Behind every number is a person who was simply walking: crossing a street, stepping off a bus, returning from work. When a driver’s negligence changes everything, our San Antonio injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw are ready to fight for your family. We have represented crash victims across San Antonio for more than 34 years, and we know the physical, emotional, and financial weight this kind of loss carries.
San Antonio pedestrian accidents claim lives at a rate that demands attention. Of those 769 crashes, 83 victims never came home — a fatality rate that far exceeds what you see in vehicle-versus-vehicle collisions. NHTSA has long documented that pedestrians offer almost no protection against a vehicle traveling at highway or even residential speeds. A person on foot facing a two-ton vehicle is, by every measure, the most vulnerable person on any road. Understanding why these crashes happen — and what Texas law gives you the right to demand — is the first step toward justice.
If you or someone you love was hurt in one of San Antonio’s pedestrian accidents, or if you lost a family member in a fatal collision, call Carabin Shaw at (800) 862-1260 for a free consultation. Our San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyers take every case on contingency: you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
Physics explains much of the damage. Even at 30 mph a vehicle strikes with enough force to cause fatal head trauma, spinal damage, and internal bleeding. At 40 mph the survival odds drop sharply. Pedestrians struck at highway merge speeds rarely survive. The injuries that do survive — traumatic brain injury, fractured pelvis, crushed limbs — often require years of surgeries and rehabilitation and can leave permanent disability. Families face staggering medical bills alongside grief or the sudden loss of a primary earner.
Nighttime conditions compound the danger. Many of San Antonio’s most dangerous stretches — Loop 410, Military Drive, SW Military Drive, Culebra Road — carry heavy traffic late into the night with limited lighting, faded crosswalk markings, and no median refuge for pedestrians. A driver already distracted by a phone has almost no reaction time once a walker appears in the headlights.
Texas Transportation Code § 552 establishes pedestrian rights and driver duties. A driver approaching a crosswalk — marked or unmarked at an intersection — must yield to a pedestrian who is in or about to enter the driver’s half of the roadway. A driver must also stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has cleared the lane. Violations are not merely traffic infractions; they are evidence of negligence that a personal injury attorney can use to build your civil case.
Texas also applies a modified comparative fault rule. If an insurance company tries to argue that the pedestrian shares blame — jaywalking, wearing dark clothing, not using a crosswalk — that argument can reduce recovery but does not eliminate it, as long as the victim was not more than 50 percent at fault. A skilled San Antonio pedestrian accident lawyer knows how to counter those defenses and protect your full compensation.
When a pedestrian collision kills a family member, Texas law allows certain surviving relatives to bring a wrongful death claim. Eligible claimants typically include a spouse, children, and parents of the deceased. The claim can seek compensation for loss of financial support, loss of companionship and guidance, grief and mental anguish, and funeral and burial expenses. A survival action can also recover for the pain and suffering the victim experienced before death.
These cases carry strict deadlines. Texas’s statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death is generally two years from the date of the crash or death. Evidence — surveillance footage, witness memory, vehicle event data recorders — degrades quickly. The sooner a family retains a San Antonio pedestrian accident attorney, the better the chance of preserving what is needed to prove the case.
Carabin Shaw has represented injury victims and bereaved families across San Antonio for more than 34 years. Our team investigates pedestrian collisions thoroughly — working with accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and economic analysts to document what was taken from you and what you are owed. We handle every aspect of the claim so you can focus on healing or on your family.
We know that no settlement restores what was lost. But fair compensation can relieve the financial pressure that follows a catastrophic injury or a sudden death, and accountability through the civil justice system matters.
If you were hurt in a pedestrian crash or lost someone you love to one of San Antonio’s 769 pedestrian collisions last year, call us today. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win. Call (800) 862-1260 or visit carabinshaw.com.