AAA Texas says a record number of people in the state are traveling this summer, and the Texas Department of Transportation is expanding its call for safety on the roads. TxDOT has been running its "End the Streak" campaign to call attention to the number of deaths on highways.
Texas has had at least one death on its roads every day since November 7, 2000. Since then, TxDOT says more than 81,000 people have died in crashes.
"That's enough to fill up AT&T Stadium," says TxDOT's Joe Hunt, who works in the Traffic Safety Division. "That's not just a number I bring up casually. That's not just a number. That's people's lives changed forever, not just that their lives are lost, but it's the vacuum it leaves in their community, their family and friends."
Hunt says the state has had several days with one fatality, most recently on February 13 this year.
Daily fatalities continued even during stay-at-home orders in the pandemic. In 2019, TxDOT says there were 3,623 fatalities, but the number increased to 3,896 in 2020.
"2020 got off to a very good start for us because nobody was driving for a brief window," Hunt says. "Then everybody came back and forgot how to drive."
Fatalities increased to 4,497 in 2021 and dropped by 16 to 4,481 in 2022. In 2023, Hunt says fatalities are down about 100 from the same time last year.
"That's an improvement but not where we want to be," he says.
In 2019, TxDOT launched its "Road to Zero" plan. The agency hopes to reduce traffic deaths by 50% by 2035 and reach zero by 2050.
TxDOT says human factors are the greatest cause of fatal crashes.
"We've got a lot of work to do. We're growing, the risk factors are out there, and they're increasing," Hunt says. "The top three, guess what? Driving under the influence is still number one, then speeding and distracted driving."
Other contributing factors include issues with cars like brakes, tires and steering. Roadway factors can include items like curves, intersections and exit and entrance lanes.
TxDOT's Road to Safety plan includes highway improvements. Hunt says TxDOT is working to improve roadway factors by changing designs and looking at areas where the most crashes occur to see how safety can be improved.
The plan also includes work with law enforcement to educate people about human factors and use enforcement to show drivers the dangers of driving drunk, speeding and texting.
"It's something we need to work to change with them and recognize the seriousness of what they're doing," Hunt says.
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