Regardless of a rigorous marketing campaign by the Texas Division of Transportation to “Finish the Streak,” the state skilled the best variety of site visitors fatalities in 40 years final yr.
In 2021, there have been 4,480 folks killed on Texas roads – the best since 1981 when there have been 4,701 deaths.
A kind of fatalities in 2021, was tow-truck driver Isaac Simmons. He was killed in Could 2021, whereas responding to a stalled car.
“You don’t notice how a lot any person impacts your life till they’re gone,” stated Simmons’ buddy Nathan Bryant. “He was ripped away from us violently and it’s not proper.”
TxDOT started monitoring site visitors fatalities within the state in 1940. The very best variety of site visitors fatalities was in 1981, adopted by 2021.
Sadly, the rise in site visitors fatalities previously yr is equally seen throughout the remainder of the nation.
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Within the U.S. in 2021, there was an estimated 20,160 motorcar crash deaths within the first half of 2021, an enhance of greater than 18 p.c over 2020.
In Texas, site visitors fatalities have been up 15 p.c from 2020 to 2021.
Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan stated all Texans must do their half to curb this pattern.
“Driver conduct is likely one of the causes, but in addition one of the crucial vital options,” Ryan stated. “This isn’t blame. These are information. All of us have a task. TxDOT can do extra, and we settle for that accountability. The driving public can do extra. As an illustration, in 2021, a complete of 1,522 folks have been killed due to velocity, and a complete of 1,219 folks have been killed as a result of they weren’t sporting a seat belt. These have been choices made by folks that might have probably saved 2,741 lives.”
At their annual discussion board, TxDOT leaders heard from College of Texas psychology professor Dr. Artwork Markman who stated pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic are including to the disastrous outcomes on our roadways.
“We’ve to remind those who they’re a part of a group,” Markman stated. “We’ve to start out contemplating everybody as a part of our group. If we don’t try this, there are going to be all types of detrimental penalties, and people are going to incorporate detrimental penalties on the street.”
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On prime of their continued security campaigns, TxDOT is working with researchers to review and use new roadway design options which might be confirmed to avoid wasting lives. As an illustration, the company is utilizing crash information to pinpoint areas the place drivers are extra liable to wrecks and focus enhancements on these areas.
With a number of focuses on information, engineering, enforcement and the general public, TxDOT believes they may help finish the streak of day by day deaths on Texas roads.
They can not do it alone, nonetheless, and wish the assistance of each driver.
“That is an pressing name to motion for all of us behind the wheel,” Ryan stated, “We are able to do higher. We should always do higher. We should do higher – for ourselves, our family members and our bigger group of fellow Texans. Not a single dying on our roadways is appropriate. Let’s finish this streak.”
The Finish the Streak marketing campaign by TxDOT is an effort to deliver consciousness of the necessity for protected driving and serving to drivers make higher decisions behind the wheel. In Texas, there was a minimum of one traffic-related dying daily since Nov. 7, 2000.
