Every day for the past 24 years someone has died on a Texas roadway.
On the anniversary of the last deathless day on Nov. 7, 2000, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) are working together to share safe driving messages in hopes to finally end this deadly streak.
The two agencies are joining forces because ending fatal crashes takes all of us. TxDOT is working to engineer safety solutions and educate drivers on safe practices while DPS enforces the laws of the road. However, drivers are the most important partners, which is why DPS troopers will be handing out tip cards during traffic stops to encourage safe driving behaviors.
“After more than two decades, it’s long past time to end the streak of daily deaths on our roadways, but it’ll take all of us to get it done,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “Each life lost is a mother, father, brother, sister or friend, and we need to work together to make sure everyone can get home safely.”
Last year, 4,289 people were killed on Texas roads, and so far in 2024, Texas is averaging 10 roadway deaths a day. Some of the top causes of crashes make up part of the card that troopers will hand out for two weeks. The messages include: - Drive safe speeds - Buckle up - Move over or slow down - Get a sober ride - Avoid distractions Since Nov. 7, 2000, more than 87,000 people have been killed on Texas roads.
TxDOT is committed to enhancing safety on roads throughout the state, investing $17 billion in safety improvements through the state’s 10-year plan. TxDOT also works tirelessly to develop safety innovations that can have significant impacts.
One improvement implemented this year in Fort Worth uses cameras to identify pedestrians on major roadways, targeting areas where people have been hit after trying to cross. It detects them early on, notifies law enforcement and helps them respond before they step out on the road. This has led to a drop in pedestrian crashes on these highways since they were installed in January. It’s just one example of the many innovative and engineering improvements TxDOT makes every year.
In January, Texas experienced one day with just one traffic fatality caused by a driver running a stop sign.
“A single life lost is too many, but this shows us that it can be done,” said TxDOT Deputy Executive Director Brandye Hendrickson. “We’ve been close a few times in recent years. Safety is paramount when we design, build and maintain roads, and it also must be the top priority when we’re driving on them.”