Over 91,000 people have died in Texas traffic crashes since Nov. 7, 2000, Texas Department of Transportation records show. Officials emphasized Nov. 7 that the majority of fatal crashes can be prevented if drivers follow speed limits, avoid distractions, wear seatbelts and do not get behind the wheel when under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Those are real lives,” Rep. Caroline Harris Davila, R-Round Rock, told reporters Nov. 7. “Those are kids who won't see graduation, those are parents who won't come home. ... Life is sacred, and it's worth more than a text or a phone call or getting somewhere faster.”
Zooming in
Jamie White said her 2-year-old daughter, Allie, was hit and killed by a distracted driver at Round Rock’s Old Settlers Park in September 2019.
“It only takes [a few] seconds... to kill somebody,” White said Nov. 7. “Can you imagine doing this, taking somebody's child from them, and living the rest of your life knowing that you caused that?”
Following Allie’s death, her parents launched Allie’s Way, a nonprofit aimed at ending distracted driving.
“You can't multitask—we think we're capable of it, but when you're driving a vehicle, you have to look forward, you have to look to the side,” White said. “You have to look in your rearview mirror to make sure nobody else hits you. At the same time, you're trying to figure out where you're supposed to go, and you're also supposed to be responding to somebody by text message or by phone conversation. It is not possible.”
Rep. Charles Cunningham, R-Humble, proposed legislation to raise fines for distracted driving during this year’s legislative session, Community Impact previously reported. Cunningham’s bill did not receive a hearing before the Legislature wrapped up in June.
“It is common sense that usage of [phones] while operating a vehicle is a huge safety issue,” Cunningham said in a January statement. “Increasing the penalty would help deter drivers from engaging in unsafe behavior.”
The use of hands-free devices is protected in Texas, and drivers are also allowed to use wireless devices for maps or music, according to the state transportation code.
Eric Bauereis, who lost his teenage son, Alexei, in a 2016 crash, said that “year after year, preventable crashes have shattered thousands of people's lives.”
“That crash didn't just kill Alexei—it derailed dozens of lives and impacted literally thousands of others,” he said Nov. 7. “Please recognize that being a minute late is way better than not getting there at all.”
Last year, an average of 11 people died on Texas roads each day, Community Impact reported. As of Sept. 24, 10 people had died per day in 2025.
“These are not random events,” Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee said Nov. 7. “These are the results of making the wrong choices on our Texas highways. When someone drives too fast, drives impaired or doesn't wear a seat belt, they're putting not only their lives in danger, but the lives of others in danger, too.”
To spread awareness about the deadly 25-year streak and encourage safe driving behaviors, Texas state troopers will hand out cards during certain traffic stops over the next two weeks, Rippee said. The cards remind Texans to:
- Drive at safe speeds
- Wear seatbelts
- Move over or slow down for stopped vehicles
- Get a sober ride
- Avoid distractions while driving
“In the moment, it's hard to imagine anything terrible can happen,” Bauereis said. “But don’t just take my word for it—ask any of the hundreds of thousands of Texans that crashes have affected over the past 25 years. Stay alert, pause for just a moment, and please put your phone down.”It's going to take all of working together to end this 25 year streak of daily deaths. That's why DPS is sharing tip cards at traffic stops to call on everyone to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous and safe. Read more: https://t.co/0P37UIUUsr #EndTheStreakTX #DriveLikeATexan pic.twitter.com/CCv3tzT8lH
— TxDOT (@TxDOT) November 7, 2025
