The last day Texas motorists experienced no fatalities on its roadways was Nov. 7, 2000. To end the streak and prevent more wrecks from happening, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has partnered with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to kick off the End the Streak campaign.
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, according to TxDOT, 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 Marc Williams, TxDOT executive director, in a statement. “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 troopers will hand out for two weeks. The messages include: safe driving speeds, buckle up, move over or slow down, have a designated driver and avoid distractions.
TxDOT says it’s 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, according to TxDOT.
Source: Texas Department of Transportation, Texomashomepage.com
