Culebra Road safety raises concerns after recent car-pedestrian accidents

SAN ANTONIO – Culebra Road has a reputation that, according to neighbors, is not exactly safe.

“It's not safe,” said Vincent Robinson. “Accidents happen all the time on Culebra Road.”

Last month, KSAT reported on several pedestrian-vehicle crashes on Culebra Road. Some were fatal, others resulted in serious injuries. Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 50 such fatal crashes across the city, according to a San Antonio Police Department spokesman. Safety experts say the rising numbers for Culebra Road are no surprise.

“Culebra Road is a very busy road,” said Dean DeSoto, director of the Community Alliance of Traffic Safety. “People are used to it, and I think that's one of the problems.”

Why is Culebra Road such a problem? DeSoto cited poor lighting, extensive crosswalks and speeding as reasons.

“In most cases, pedestrians always have the right of way,” said DeSoto. “People live and die on the streets, and this can be avoided if we show more humanity.”

The city is looking for a solution and is considering new funding as a way to fix infrastructure problems. In the meantime, Jennifer Northway, director of accident prevention at University Health, said both drivers and pedestrians should take more safety precautions.

“It really comes down to these simple things: looking both ways, making eye contact with the driver and not walking between parked vehicles crossing the intersection,” Northway said.

Click here to learn more about safety practices to prevent these accidents.