On Nov. 7, the state of Texas marked 20 years of daily deaths on state roadways.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, more than 70,000 deaths have occurred on Texas roads in the past two decades, and an average of 10 people die every day in road accidents in the state.

“The effort to end the streak of daily deaths in Texas is a shared responsibility, and we are committed to including safety enhancements in every project we build or maintain,” TxDOT Executive Director James Bass, TxDOT said. “It’s going to take education, engineering and enforcement to get this done, and that’s why this call to action to every Texan is so imperative.”

TxDOT officials are asking Texas drivers to act accordingly when they get behind the wheel of a car. Drivers should buckle up, pay attention to the road and avoid distractions, such as phones, officials said. Drivers should also never drive under the influence, refrain from speeding and drive appropriately for the weather and roadway conditions around them.

TxDOT is encouraging Texans to use #EndTheStreakTX on social media to help raise awareness of daily deaths on Texas roadways. Residents can post pictures to social media with a downloadable TxDOT sign or use a TxDOT social media filter. For more information, go to www.txdot.gov.




“Last year, 20 Texas counties actually had zero deaths on their roadways, which tells me we can end the streak of daily deaths in Texas,” Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan said. “This is why, in 2019, the commission adopted a new goal of having zero deaths on our roadways by 2050 and to cut the number of fatalities in half by 2035. We will do our part. We need drivers to do theirs.”