Fatal crashes in Texas
In 2024, 4,160 people died in 3,774 fatal crashes on Texas roads, 3.1% fewer than in 2023. That is about 11 deaths a day, and 10.6% of all road deaths in the United States.
Texas ranks 1st of 51 by road deaths in 2024, and 18th by deaths per resident. Every state in 2024.
Road deaths in Texas since 1975
Road deaths in Texas peaked in 1981 at 4,623; 2024's 4,160 is 10% below that. The lowest year was 2010 with 3,023. 2024 is 10% above 2000 and 23% above 1975.
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4,160 | 3,774 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 4,294 | 3,877 | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 4,408 | 3,966 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 4,500 | 4,070 | +16.1% |
| 2020 | 3,876 | 3,522 | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 3,619 | 3,296 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 3,648 | 3,311 | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 3,732 | 3,352 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 3,797 | 3,427 | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 3,582 | 3,190 | +1.3% |
Show 1975 to 2014
| Year | Deaths | Fatal crashes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 3,536 | 3,190 | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 3,389 | 3,047 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 3,408 | 3,033 | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 3,054 | 2,790 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 3,023 | 2,746 | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 3,104 | 2,804 | -10.7% |
| 2008 | 3,476 | 3,116 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 3,466 | 3,100 | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 3,531 | 3,122 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 3,536 | 3,133 | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 3,699 | 3,266 | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 3,821 | 3,368 | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 3,823 | 3,348 | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 3,736 | 3,318 | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 3,779 | 3,254 | +7.3% |
| 1999 | 3,522 | 3,108 | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 3,586 | 3,168 | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 3,513 | 3,084 | -6.1% |
| 1996 | 3,742 | 3,249 | +17.6% |
| 1995 | 3,183 | 2,799 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 3,187 | 2,752 | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 3,043 | 2,698 | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 3,059 | 2,691 | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 3,078 | 2,697 | -5.3% |
| 1990 | 3,250 | 2,889 | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 3,370 | 2,936 | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 3,392 | 3,001 | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 3,260 | 2,880 | -8.6% |
| 1986 | 3,567 | 3,120 | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 3,678 | 3,267 | -6.0% |
| 1984 | 3,912 | 3,465 | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 3,823 | 3,328 | -9.3% |
| 1982 | 4,213 | 3,699 | -8.9% |
| 1981 | 4,623 | 4,072 | +5.9% |
| 1980 | 4,366 | 3,814 | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 4,168 | 3,628 | +6.5% |
| 1978 | 3,914 | 3,407 | +7.7% |
| 1977 | 3,635 | 3,175 | +14.6% |
| 1976 | 3,172 | 2,730 | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 3,372 | 2,892 | No data |
Deaths within 30 days of a crash on a public road, as NHTSA counts them. 2024 is the latest year NHTSA has published; the 2024 figures are from the Annual Report File and may be revised when NHTSA releases the final file. The 2025 file is expected in spring 2027.
The deadliest roads and most dangerous highways in Texas
I-10 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Texas from 2015 to 2024: 1,071, with 1,189 deaths. The 20 roads listed held 22% of all fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024; 7 are interstates, 11 US routes, 2 state highways. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (1,145 crashes, more than on I-10). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page. Every numbered road in Texas, ranked.
| Road | Fatal crashes | Deaths | 2022 to 2024 | Counties with the most | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 | 1,071 | 1,189 | 311 | Harris, El Paso, Bexar |
| 2 | I-20 | 851 | 980 | 216 | Dallas, Tarrant, Ector |
| 3 | I-35 | 753 | 841 | 221 | Travis, Bexar, McLennan |
| 4 | I-45 | 720 | 775 | 231 | Harris, Montgomery, Dallas |
| 5 | I-30 | 425 | 478 | 120 | Dallas, Tarrant, Hunt |
| 6 | US 59 | 412 | 497 | 109 | Polk, Nacogdoches, Wharton |
| 7 | I-35E | 321 | 349 | 103 | Dallas, Denton, Ellis |
| 8 | US 287 | 307 | 364 | 113 | Tarrant, Ellis, Wilbarger |
| 9 | US 281 | 296 | 356 | 89 | Bexar, Blanco, Hidalgo |
| 10 | State Highway 6 | 283 | 312 | 83 | Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend |
| 11 | US 90 | 279 | 315 | 103 | Bexar, Harris, Jefferson |
| 12 | US 69 | 272 | 320 | 78 | Jefferson, Angelina, Cherokee |
| 13 | US 290 | 262 | 316 | 71 | Travis, Harris, Bastrop |
| 14 | US 84 | 251 | 290 | 82 | Lubbock, McLennan, Garza |
| 15 | US 67 | 250 | 290 | 93 | Dallas, Johnson, Erath |
| 16 | US 87 | 236 | 286 | 75 | Tom Green, Victoria, Howard |
| 17 | I-69 | 226 | 242 | 70 | Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery |
| 18 | US 183 | 209 | 235 | 79 | Travis, Williamson, Gonzales |
| 19 | State Highway 71 | 205 | 246 | 67 | Travis, Bastrop, Fayette |
| 20 | US 82 | 203 | 229 | 67 | Grayson, Lamar, Bowie |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every numbered road in Texas as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/texas/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in Texas
Harris County had the most fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024: 4,571, with 4,851 deaths. Harris, Dallas and Bexar counties together held 26% of fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024; the 20 listed held 55%. 254 counties in Texas recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed, with deaths per 100,000 residents where the county had 10 or more deaths in 2024.
Per resident, Reeves County has the highest rate in Texas: 109.4 road deaths per 100,000 residents a year from 2015 to 2024, against 13.6 for the state as a whole. Counties with fewer than 10,000 residents are hatched rather than shaded: a few crashes on a highway through a small county make a rate that says more about its population than its roads.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | Deaths per 100,000100K, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris County | 551 | 4,571 | 4,851 | 11.6 |
| 2 | Dallas County | 304 | 2,906 | 3,126 | 12.4 |
| 3 | Bexar County | 208 | 1,940 | 2,051 | 10.2 |
| 4 | Tarrant County | 193 | 1,778 | 1,901 | 9.2 |
| 5 | Travis County | 137 | 1,306 | 1,404 | 11.2 |
| 6 | El Paso County | 77 | 762 | 816 | 9.2 |
| 7 | Hidalgo County | 57 | 586 | 638 | 6.8 |
| 8 | Montgomery County | 60 | 567 | 606 | 8.3 |
| 9 | Collin County | 66 | 525 | 576 | 5.7 |
| 10 | Smith County | 46 | 492 | 562 | 21.3 |
| 11 | Denton County | 47 | 479 | 521 | 4.8 |
| 12 | Bell County | 54 | 445 | 482 | 15.8 |
| 13 | Lubbock County | 45 | 437 | 478 | 15.6 |
| 14 | Williamson County | 50 | 426 | 465 | 7.0 |
| 15 | Nueces County | 46 | 415 | 445 | 13.6 |
| 16 | Ector County | 43 | 414 | 484 | 29.4 |
| 17 | Galveston County | 34 | 380 | 411 | 10.6 |
| 18 | Jefferson County | 43 | 379 | 409 | 17.7 |
| 19 | Midland County | 32 | 372 | 405 | 18.5 |
| 20 | Fort Bend County | 38 | 370 | 389 | 4.3 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Download every county with a page as CSV. Free to reuse with credit: “Fatal Crash Data, fatalcrashdata.com/fatal-crashes/texas/, from NHTSA FARS (2024 Annual Report File).”
The deadliest counties in America: every county ranked nationally, and per resident
When fatal crashes happen in Texas
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 1,806 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 9 pm to 10 pm; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.0 percent, 1,806 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 872 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 488 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 735 fatal crashes | 3.0 percent, 1,062 fatal crashes | 3.4 percent, 1,209 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 2.0 percent, 708 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 756 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 555 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 757 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 948 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 906 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.3 percent, 474 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 683 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 535 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 734 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 904 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 945 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.5 percent, 522 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 686 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 524 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 726 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 998 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 970 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.7 percent, 624 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 711 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 567 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 703 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 922 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 1,106 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.3 percent, 834 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 794 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 550 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 769 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 1,095 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 1,374 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.1 percent, 1,480 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 710 fatal crashes | 1.7 percent, 591 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 792 fatal crashes | 3.1 percent, 1,118 fatal crashes | 4.3 percent, 1,536 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.0%
- Feb7.1%
- Mar8.1%
- Apr7.8%
- May8.4%
- Jun8.3%
- Jul8.7%
- Aug8.5%
- Sep8.4%
- Oct9.3%
- Nov8.7%
- Dec8.8%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where fatal crashes happen in Texas: rural or urban, intersection, dark or daylight
38% of fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024 were on rural roads, below the US share of 43%; 22% happened at or near an intersection, below the US share of 25%; 31% in the dark on unlit roads, above the US share of 28%. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across the United States.
| Texas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural roads | 38% | 43% | below the US share |
| At or near an intersection | 22% | 25% | below the US share |
| In daylight | 41% | 46% | below the US share |
| In the dark, road lit | 24% | 21% | above the US share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 31% | 28% | above the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Who died on Texas roads in 2024
Vehicle occupants were 65% of the 4,160 people killed on Texas roads in 2024; pedestrians 18% (763), motorcyclists 14% (582), cyclists 1.9% (79).
| Road user | Deaths | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants | 2,699 | 65% |
| Pedestrians | 763 | 18% |
| Motorcyclists | 582 | 14% |
| Cyclists | 79 | 1.9% |
| Others (on personal conveyances, in parked vehicles, in buildings) | 37 | 0.9% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes happen in Texas: alcohol, speeding, seat belts, hit-and-run
A drinking driver was recorded in 26% of fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024, about the US share; speeding in 32%, above the US share of 27%; a hit-and-run in 7.6%, above the US share of 6.5%; a driver recorded as distracted in 10%, above the US share of 8.7%; 45% of passenger-vehicle occupants killed with belt use known were unbelted, below the US share of 49%.
Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024 with the factor recorded, against the US share. "A drinking driver" is NHTSA's drinking-driver flag (police-reported drinking or any positive alcohol test), not its "alcohol-impaired" figure. "Unbelted" is the share of passenger-vehicle occupants killed whose belt use is known (22,256 in Texas).
| Texas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| A drinking driver | 26% | 26% | about the same as the US share |
| Speeding | 32% | 27% | above the US share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 10% | 8.7% | above the US share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 45% | 49% | below the US share |
| Hit-and-run | 7.6% | 6.5% | above the US share |
| A motorcycle involved | 14% | 16% | below the US share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What the first harmful event was
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 41%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 24%, a pedestrian in 18%, a rollover in 9.0%. What each fatal crash first hit, 2015 to 2024.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 14,719 | 41% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 8,683 | 24% |
| Pedestrian | 6,288 | 18% |
| Rollover | 3,218 | 9.0% |
| Other | 1,616 | 4.5% |
| Cyclist | 749 | 2.1% |
| Parked vehicle | 506 | 1.4% |
| Not reported | 6 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Vehicles in fatal crashes in Texas
Cars were 34% of the 54,809 vehicles in fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024, pickups 23%, SUVs 18%, motorcycles 9.4%. Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type.
| Type | Vehicles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cars | 18,746 | 34% |
| Pickups | 12,660 | 23% |
| SUVs | 9,912 | 18% |
| Motorcycles | 5,141 | 9.4% |
| Truck-tractors | 4,378 | 8.0% |
| Other trucks | 2,382 | 4.3% |
| Vans | 1,418 | 2.6% |
| Buses | 172 | 0.3% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Road deaths in Texas per resident and per mile driven
| Texas | US | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024 | 13.3 | 11.5 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015 to 2024 | 13.6 | 11.8 | above the US rate |
| Deaths per 100 million vehicle-miles, 2024 | 1.35 | 1.19 | above the US rate |
Population 31,290,831 (Census Bureau estimate, 2024); 308,461 million vehicle-miles (FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-2). The only figures on this page not counted from FARS.
Questions about fatal crashes in Texas
- How many people died in car accidents in Texas in 2024?
- 4,160 people died in 3,774 fatal crashes on Texas roads in 2024, 3.1% fewer than in 2023. That is 13.3 deaths per 100,000 residents, against 11.5 across the United States. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- What is the deadliest road in Texas?
- I-10 had the most fatal crashes of any numbered road in Texas from 2015 to 2024: 1,071, with 1,189 deaths. I-20 was second with 851.
- Which county in Texas has the most fatal crashes?
- Harris County, with 4,571 fatal crashes and 4,851 deaths from 2015 to 2024, 551 of them in 2024.
- When do fatal crashes in Texas happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 1,806 fatal crashes.
- How many fatal crashes in Texas involved a drinking driver?
- 9,119 of 35,785 fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024 involved a driver NHTSA recorded as drinking, 26%, against 26% across the United States.
County pages for Texas
Every county in Texas with 30 or more fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, roads, hour and weekday, and deaths per 100,000 residents.
- Harris County 4,571
- Dallas County 2,906
- Bexar County 1,940
- Tarrant County 1,778
- Travis County 1,306
- El Paso County 762
- Hidalgo County 586
- Montgomery County 567
- Collin County 525
- Smith County 492
- Denton County 479
- Bell County 445
- Lubbock County 437
- Williamson County 426
- Nueces County 415
- Ector County 414
- Galveston County 380
- Jefferson County 379
- Midland County 372
- Fort Bend County 370
- Brazoria County 369
- McLennan County 318
- Cameron County 308
- Ellis County 293
- Hays County 267
- Gregg County 247
- Johnson County 247
- Bastrop County 240
- Kaufman County 239
- Hunt County 229
- Liberty County 225
- Grayson County 224
- Potter County 223
- Parker County 220
- Webb County 217
- Harrison County 193
- Orange County 192
- Taylor County 189
- Wise County 182
- Comal County 181
- Guadalupe County 172
- Brazos County 170
- Henderson County 166
- Van Zandt County 156
- Angelina County 155
- Rusk County 155
- Polk County 151
- Walker County 147
- Nacogdoches County 146
- Bowie County 143
- Wichita County 137
- Victoria County 136
- Tom Green County 130
- Chambers County 127
- Reeves County 126
- Waller County 124
- Randall County 123
- Hill County 121
- Erath County 120
- Grimes County 117
- San Patricio County 116
- Wharton County 115
- Cherokee County 113
- Fannin County 112
- Caldwell County 111
- Anderson County 110
- Medina County 108
- Upshur County 107
- Fayette County 104
- Burnet County 103
- Cooke County 103
- Lamar County 103
- Hardin County 101
- Navarro County 101
- Atascosa County 100
- Coryell County 100
- Leon County 100
- Wood County 99
- Freestone County 97
- Howard County 96
- Panola County 93
- Kerr County 92
- Milam County 92
- San Jacinto County 92
- Hopkins County 90
- Martin County 90
- Colorado County 89
- Hood County 89
- Matagorda County 89
- Pecos County 88
- Cass County 87
- Ward County 85
- Washington County 85
- Jasper County 84
- Hudspeth County 83
- Jim Wells County 81
- Eastland County 78
- Gonzales County 76
- Houston County 76
- Rockwall County 76
- Shelby County 74
- Andrews County 73
- Palo Pinto County 72
- Gaines County 70
- Kendall County 70
- Burleson County 67
- Nolan County 67
- Titus County 65
- Wilson County 65
- Callahan County 64
- Austin County 61
- Madison County 61
- Winkler County 60
- Maverick County 59
- Live Oak County 58
- Frio County 57
- Gillespie County 57
- Lee County 57
- Montague County 57
- Robertson County 57
- Bandera County 55
- Falls County 54
- Jackson County 54
- Karnes County 54
- Jones County 53
- Brown County 52
- Hockley County 52
- Kimble County 51
- Llano County 51
- Tyler County 51
- Wilbarger County 51
- Blanco County 50
- Culberson County 48
- Limestone County 47
- Uvalde County 47
- Hale County 46
- Red River County 46
- DeWitt County 45
- Bee County 44
- Comanche County 44
- Lampasas County 44
- Aransas County 43
- Carson County 43
- Newton County 43
- Marion County 42
- La Salle County 41
- Val Verde County 41
- Crockett County 40
- Hartley County 40
- Moore County 40
- Scurry County 40
- Starr County 40
- Trinity County 40
- Bosque County 39
- Dimmit County 39
- Coleman County 38
- Kleberg County 38
- Gray County 37
- Lavaca County 37
- Mitchell County 37
- Duval County 36
- Morris County 36
- Oldham County 36
- San Augustine County 36
- Dawson County 35
- Hutchinson County 35
- Clay County 34
- Glasscock County 34
- Wheeler County 33
- Zavala County 33
- Jack County 32
- Somervell County 32
- Lamb County 30
- Refugio County 30
- Runnels County 30
Road pages for Texas
Every numbered road in Texas with 15 or more fatal crashes from 2022 to 2024, each with its crashes by year, county, hour and weekday.
- I-10
- I-14
- I-20
- I-27
- I-30
- I-35
- I-35E
- I-35W
- I-37
- I-40
- I-410
- I-45
- I-610
- I-635
- I-69
- I-820
- State Highway 105
- State Highway 114
- State Highway 12
- State Highway 121
- State Highway 123
- State Highway 130
- State Highway 146
- State Highway 155
- State Highway 158
- State Highway 16
- State Highway 180
- State Highway 183
- State Highway 19
- State Highway 191
- State Highway 199
- State Highway 20
- State Highway 21
- State Highway 249
- State Highway 288
- State Highway 289
- State Highway 29
- State Highway 302
- State Highway 31
- State Highway 34
- State Highway 349
- State Highway 35
- State Highway 358
- State Highway 36
- State Highway 46
- State Highway 6
- State Highway 64
- State Highway 7
- State Highway 71
- State Highway 73
- State Highway 75
- State Highway 78
- State Highway 8
- State Highway 80
- State Highway 87
- State Highway 95
- State Highway 99
- US 175
- US 180
- US 181
- US 183
- US 190
- US 259
- US 271
- US 277
- US 281
- US 287
- US 290
- US 377
- US 380
- US 385
- US 54
- US 57
- US 59
- US 60
- US 62
- US 67
- US 69
- US 75
- US 77
- US 79
- US 80
- US 81
- US 82
- US 83
- US 84
- US 87
- US 90
- US 96
Where the Texas numbers come from
Every figure on this page except the rates is counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the federal census of fatal crashes on US public roads, 2024 Annual Report File. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Road names are normalised ("I-35", "I 35" and "I-35/PURPLE HEART TRL" are the same road); frontage roads and ramps ("I35 FRONTAGE") are left out of road counts. Totals from the state highway department and news reports can differ by a few: they count from the state's own crash reports, often before every death within 30 days is known, while NHTSA's file is checked and revised once a year. Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". Rates per resident and per mile use Census Bureau population estimates and FHWA vehicle-miles, the only figures not counted from FARS. The full method.