Washington-based carinsurancecomparison.com has compiled the information for the past five years. The company provides information about car insurance rates to consumers.
This is the first time Texas has been ranked No. 1 in the study, but it has been in the top five each of the five years the company has prepared the report, said Josh Barnes, project manager for carinsurancecomparison.com.
The company compiles information from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics and creates a score based on each state’s number of fatalities, as well as citations for drunk driving, speeding, careless driving and failure to obey.
Texas, which tied with Louisiana in the company’s ranking system this year, scored in the top 15 nationwide in each of those five categories.
Todd Peters, who owns a Safeway Driving franchise in the Spring and Klein area and is served by Klein Collins High School, said roads in rapidly developing areas such as FM 2920 are particularly hazardous for new drivers.
“We’re seeing a lot of parent-taught students,” Peters said. “They’re going to emulate what the parents are doing, and they’re talking on the phone and texting.”
Careless and distracted driving has joined drunken driving as a major hazard, Safeway Driving Vice President Ann Littman said.
The driving school opened in 1973 in Houston and has expanded to Austin and the College Station area.
“It’s not just about drunk drivers being out on the roadways, but it’s careless driving,” Littman said.
Distracted driving, which can include cell phone use, changing radio stations or even talking to passengers, is becoming increasingly common, Littman said. There are no statewide laws prohibiting cell phone using while driving in Texas except in school zones, she said.
“People engage in reckless behavior or try to pass time in traffic by being on their phones,” Littman said.
Increasing population in the state, particularly in metropolitan areas like Houston, also make the roadways more congested and dangerous.
In November the Texas Department of Transportation held its second annual “End the Streak” campaign, which aimed to use social media to promote awareness of the fact that it has been 16 years since Texas had a death-free day on its highways.
Littman offered a few pieces of advice for both new and experienced drivers to follow to minimize driving dangers:
- Do not drink and drive
- Avoid eating while driving
- Do not engage in distracting activities such as changing radio stations
- Do not use a phone or other electronic device while driving
- Maintain space on every side of your vehicle in case you need to stop or change lanes suddenly
- Wear your seatbelt
- Do not text or call someone when you know they are driving
