I-20 in Texas: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 851 fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas killed 980 people, the 2nd most of 443 numbered roads in Texas. In 2024 there were 70 fatal crashes and 75 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 25 counties of Texas. All fatal crashes in Texas. I-20 in every state.
Deaths on I-20 in Texas by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70 | 75 |
| 2023 | 61 | 71 |
| 2022 | 85 | 95 |
| 2021 | 103 | 115 |
| 2020 | 75 | 84 |
| 2019 | 84 | 91 |
| 2018 | 110 | 132 |
| 2017 | 101 | 117 |
| 2016 | 83 | 97 |
| 2015 | 79 | 103 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-20 in Texas: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Dallas County had the most fatal crashes on I-20 from 2015 to 2024: 119, with 131 deaths. Dallas, Tarrant and Ector counties together held 33% of fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas from 2015 to 2024; the 15 listed held 85%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas County | 8 | 119 | 131 |
| 2 | Tarrant County | 8 | 113 | 123 |
| 3 | Ector County | 3 | 47 | 60 |
| 4 | Midland County | 0 | 45 | 53 |
| 5 | Smith County | 5 | 42 | 54 |
| 6 | Taylor County | 8 | 42 | 53 |
| 7 | Harrison County | 5 | 41 | 48 |
| 8 | Kaufman County | 3 | 40 | 46 |
| 9 | Parker County | 5 | 40 | 46 |
| 10 | Ward County | 3 | 37 | 42 |
| 11 | Gregg County | 5 | 36 | 37 |
| 12 | Eastland County | 4 | 33 | 37 |
| 13 | Howard County | 2 | 31 | 35 |
| 14 | Mitchell County | 0 | 31 | 31 |
| 15 | Callahan County | 4 | 30 | 35 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-20 in Texas
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 56 fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; 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 | 6.6 percent, 56 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 1.2 percent, 10 fatal crashes | 2.1 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 21 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 3.4 percent, 29 fatal crashes | 2.5 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 2.0 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 0.9 percent, 8 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 25 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.0 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 23 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 28 fatal crashes | 1.6 percent, 14 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 23 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 2.5 percent, 21 fatal crashes | 1.5 percent, 13 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 2.2 percent, 19 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 2.1 percent, 18 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 12 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 2.6 percent, 22 fatal crashes | 2.4 percent, 20 fatal crashes | 3.9 percent, 33 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 4.5 percent, 38 fatal crashes | 2.0 percent, 17 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 11 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 16 fatal crashes | 1.8 percent, 15 fatal crashes | 3.3 percent, 28 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan8.3%
- Feb7.9%
- Mar9.4%
- Apr6.6%
- May8.3%
- Jun8.9%
- Jul9.2%
- Aug8.3%
- Sep8.7%
- Oct9.5%
- Nov8.3%
- Dec6.5%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-20 in Texas
13.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 636 miles of I-20 in Texas, against 15.4 for all interstates in Texas. That ranks 8 of 12 interstates in Texas and 39 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 43%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 23%, a rollover in 15%, a pedestrian in 12%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 363 | 43% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 199 | 23% |
| Rollover | 127 | 15% |
| Pedestrian | 102 | 12% |
| Parked vehicle | 33 | 3.9% |
| Other | 24 | 2.8% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 0.4% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas compare with the state
The largest difference from Texas: from 2015 to 2024, 2.9% of fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas were at or near an intersection, against 22% across Texas. Also above the Texas share: rural roads and unlit roads at night. Below it: drinking drivers, hit-and-runs, motorcycles and pedestrians. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Texas. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 851 crashes.
| I-20 | Texas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 50% | 38% | above the Texas share |
| At or near an intersection | 2.9% | 22% | below the Texas share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 40% | 31% | above the Texas share |
| A drinking driver | 20% | 26% | below the Texas share |
| Speeding | 31% | 32% | about the same as the Texas share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 11% | 10% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 42% | 45% | about the same as the Texas share |
| Hit-and-run | 4.2% | 7.6% | below the Texas share |
| A motorcycle involved | 5.6% | 14% | below the Texas share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 14% | 18% | below the Texas share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-20 in Texas?
- 851 fatal crashes killed 980 people on I-20 in Texas from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 70 fatal crashes and 75 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-20 in Texas do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Dallas County had the most fatal crashes on I-20 from 2015 to 2024: 119, with 131 deaths. Tarrant County was second with 113.
- When do fatal crashes on I-20 in Texas happen most often?
- The heaviest slot from 2015 to 2024 was Sunday, midnight to 4 am (the night from Saturday), with 56 fatal crashes.
- How dangerous is I-20 in Texas per mile?
- 13.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 636 miles of road, against 15.4 for all interstates in Texas. That ranks 8 of 12 interstates in Texas and 39 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Texas with a page
All fatal crashes in Texas, with every road ranked.
Where the I-20 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-20 in Texas (filed under 37 spellings, such as "I-20", "I-20 /TX PECOS TRAIL", "I-20 1-820", "I-20 BU I-35E"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.