Watch Out For These Hazardous Roads In Texas

If you’ve ever felt your soul leave your body somewhere between a lifted truck doing 95 and a Nissan Altima held together by duct tape, congratulations...you’ve experienced Texas driving.

A new analysis of 129,825 fatal crashes across the U.S. confirms what Texans already know in their bones: some of our roads are basically chaos in asphalt form.

And the worst part?
It’s not even the interstates doing most of the damage.

Nationwide, 42% of fatal crashes happen on state highways, not interstates. In Texas, state highways and U.S. highways combined account for more than half of all deadly crashes, beating out both local streets and major freeways.

Let’s talk about the roads where Texas drivers are most at risk.

The Most Dangerous Roads in Texas

Over five years, Texas recorded 18,728 fatal crashes, and these highways showed up again and again in deadly wrecks:

If you live in West Texas, that list probably made you flinch a little...

I-20, US-84, US-287, and Highway 6 are a daily reality for those of us living in Lubbock, Abilene, Midland, and Amarillo, and man, those are some of the most dangerous roads in our entire state! Sheesh...

Where Fatal Crashes Actually Happen in Texas

Texas crash data shows something most people don’t expect:

So yes, interstates like I-35 and I-10 are dangerous....but state highways are where Texans are most likely to be killed.

Why?
Because these roads mix high speeds with intersections, driveways, semis, farm trucks, and cross traffic — basically the worst parts of a highway and a city street rolled into one.

Texas Is One of the Most Dangerous States to Drive In

This same study ranked the Top 5 most dangerous states in America based on crash risk, weather risk, and road infrastructure.

And Texas landed at #2.

Texas scored especially high for road infrastructure risk, meaning our highways, design, traffic flow, and layouts are a major part of the problem, not just bad drivers.

Why Texas Highways Are So Deadly

Experts say state highways are uniquely dangerous because they combine high speed limits, frequent intersections, minimal barriers, two-lane traffic, oilfield trucks and heavy freight, and long stretches of a whole lot of nothing that can make drivers rather sleepy. Deadly combo.

Read More: Meet The Most Wanted Fugitives in Lubbock for January

That’s how normal drives turn into life-changing wrecks.

What Drivers Can Actually Do

You already know what to do: slow down, don't tailgate, make sure you're wide awake, and never assume other people on the road know what they are doing! We know the rules, we just let them slide from time to time, and that can get us into some pretty big trouble. Stay vigilant!

The Bottom Line

Texas roads are gorgeous, massive, and certainly built for distance, but that combo also makes them extremely dangerous. Texans are risking it for the biscuit every day. Don't add to the bad stats! The next time you're cruising down US-84, remember, you aren't just driving. You are surviving. Keep it up!

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