The Texas Department of Transportation is urging safe driving this holiday season, and always, with a campaign known as “#EndTheStreakTX.”  This refers to a streak of over 23 years without a deathless day on Texas roads and highways.

The last deathless day on Texas roads was November 7, 2000.  Since then, over 80,000 persons have died from accidents on Texas roads and highways, averaging about ten per day.  Some Texas motor vehicle crash facts from 2022:

*** The Texas vehicle crash death toll in 2022 was 4,481

*** Serious injuries totaled 18,880

*** All injuries totaled 244,092

*** Rural traffic crashes with fatalities made up 51.42% of the state’s total traffic fatalities, with 2,304 deaths in rural traffic crashes

*** Single vehicle, run-off-the-road crashes resulted in 1,471 deaths, accounting for 32.83% of all motor vehicle traffic deaths

*** Of all persons killed in vehicles where restraint usage (seat belt) was applicable and usage was known in 2022, 48.03% were reported as not restrained when the fatal crash occurred

*** 562 motorcyclists (operators and passengers) were killed in 2022 (39% were not wearing helmets)

*** 484 persons were killed in crashes involving distracted driving.  This was an 11% increase from 2021.

*** Motor vehicle crashes where a driver was under the influence of alcohol resulted in 1,163 deaths.  This accounted for 25.95% of the total number of traffic fatalities

*** In 2022, more DUI-alcohol crashes were reported in the hour between 2:00 a.m. and 2:59 a.m. than any other hour of the day.  Also, more of these crashes occurred on Saturday than any other day of the week.

To significantly reduce your risk of a vehicle crash with serious injuries or death, the lesson is simple: (1) control your speed (2) wear seat belts (3) no distracted driving, especially cell phone use while driving (4) no driving under the influence of alcohol.

Last week the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon heard from TxDOT Brownwood District Engineer Greg Cedillo.

Cedillo spoke about the “End the Streak” campaign, and said that so far this year the Brownwood District has had 35 fatal vehicle crashes.  The Brownwood District is made up of nine counties: Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Lampasas, McCullough, Mills, San Saba, and Stephens.

He also spoke about the TxDot “Connecting Texas 2050” program, which is a statewide transportation planning program that is updated every four years.  The plan includes much more than just roads and highways.  TxDOT also works with airports, maritime ports, railroads, border crossings, the Gulf intracoastal waterway, ferries, as well as bicycle and pedestrian paths.  According to the TxDOT website: “Connecting Texas 2050 will consider current and future transportation choices, and how the integrate as a system to serve Texas and our economy.  With public input and technical studies, TxDOT will develop strategic recommendations to address the safety, reliability, and resiliency of the state’s multimodal system for 2050.”  A public hearing on Connecting Texas 2050 was held last Thursday in the Depot Civic Center in Brownwood.

According to District Engineer Cedillo, upcoming projects in the Brownwood District include:

*** Hwy 84 from Early to FM2126 – widen the road

*** FM2126 at the Pecan Bayou – raise the bridge and the roadbed

*** Hwy 377 Traffic T to Salt Creek Rd. – resurface the road

*** Park Road 15 – Seal Coat