Just a few years ago, traffic accident statistics appeared to be headed in the right direction. Researchers noted a slow but steady decline in the number of traffic accident fatalities. Analysts noted that safety features in newer motor vehicles appeared to be saving lives.
And then suddenly, 2020 came along and the number of fatal accidents rose all over the nation. This was especially worrying to researchers because, in that fateful year, there were fewer cars on the roads. This led to one conclusion: Those drivers who did take to the road that year were engaging in much riskier behavior behind the wheel. Some analysts theorized that drivers, seeing relatively empty roadways, felt free to drive at unsafe speeds, increasing the likelihood of a catastrophic accident.
This disturbing trend continued even as workplaces reopened and life returned, more or less, to normal. Texas had an average of 3,614 fatal motor vehicle accidents from 2013-2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2021-2023, the average was 4,397.
Are drivers more dangerous in Texas?
There are many factors that could explain this dangerous trend. One is that the state’s population grew in recent years, and with more drivers on the road, there are more accidents. Unfortunately, this theory doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
The NHTSA doesn’t just look at the number of accidents or fatalities in a given year, it also measures those numbers against the total number of miles traveled on state roadways to create an average fatality rate. During the years 2013-2019, the fatality rate was 1.36 per 100 million miles traveled. During the years 2021-2022, the average was 1.55 per 100 million miles traveled — a jump of 14%.
It’s also possible that Texas has worse drivers than many other states. In its most recent annual ranking of the states with the worst drivers, Forbes magazine listed Texas as No. 3.
But Texas is not alone in having a higher fatality rate than it did before 2020. The problem is nationwide. Many analysts say the issue may be that drivers picked up bad habits in 2020-2021 and continue to drive dangerously today.
If you’re an average, law-abiding Texas driver, the lesson to draw from all this is simply to be cautious out there. Not everyone is as careful as you.