Texas Has Had The Most Fatal Holiday Crashes in the U.S. for Five Consecutive Years

In December 2021, Dallas Observer wrote this eye-opening article about Texas holiday traffic fatalities.

According to a study by HelpAdvisor, each year approximately 40,000 people die in the United States due to car crashes. Between 2015 and 2019, Texas had the most fatal traffic accidents.

DUI, Increased Traffic, and Winter Weather Contribute to Holiday Fatalities

“Traffic fatalities around the holidays can be attributed to a combination of factors including increased travel, increased driving after dark (because there are fewer daylight hours during the winter), increased alcohol consumption during the holidays, and winter weather.”

This should be a warning for everyone to be extremely careful when driving over the holidays. We always need to drive safely, but these numbers really point out the need for extreme caution. Texas had the most overall deadly crashes during the holiday seasons between 2015 and 2019 with 298, however, per capita, it ranks fifth. Nationwide, 33% of fatal traffic accidents are related to intoxicated drivers. In Texas, it is more than 40%.

Infrastructure Investment and Job Act Seeks to Improve DUI Rates by 2026

The new Infrastructure Investment and Job Act that Congress passed mandates that by 2026 all new cars must contain technology to prevent drunk driving. The death toll is likely due in part to local traffic laws regarding usage of cell phones while driving, DUIs, seatbelts, and more. A recent report on SafeRoads.org illustrates that none of the six U.S. states that have the safest traffic laws are in the top 10 of highest holiday traffic fatalities.

However, the data is still inconclusive to show a direct correlation between safe traffic laws and highway deaths during the holidays. This is because only one of the states with the most relaxed traffic laws is among those with highest holiday traffic fatalities.

Dallas City Council to Reduce Traffic-Related Deaths by 2030

In the annual report on SafeRoads.org, Texas was rated “yellow” meaning improvement is needed in our traffic laws. D Magazine reports that among the 15 U.S. cities with the highest populations, Dallas has the second highest traffic deaths. Dallas City Council is working to reduce deaths to zero by 2030.

If your loved one was taken too soon because of another person’s negligence, get in touch with McCraw Law Group today.