TxDOT hopes to end the streak in 2020

WEST TEXAS - For 19 years, every day Texas has documented at least one traffic death on a state roadway. TxDOT has logged nearly 67,000 deaths since Nov. 7, 2000. That date is the last time there was a deathless day on Texas roads and Tx-DOT officials are sounding a strong alarm about the trend they want to see end.

“Everyday in Texas an average of ten people die on the roadway. What’s so tragic is they could prevent that most of the time,” said TxDOT spokesman Val Lopez.

TxDOT’s campaign called “End The Streak Texas”aims at educating drivers on preventable causes of traffic deaths.

“We see three factors that go into a majority of these deaths. It’s people speeding, distracted driving and people who are driving while intoxicated. So we’re basically asking motorists to do their part and end the streak,” explained Lopez.

Distracted driving is almost always the culprit for drifting, according to Zavadsky. He said simply focusing more on the road helps to lower the risk dramatically.

“You are looking ahead and doing things that you can prepare for the unexpected. That would be the best for you to avoid a catastrophe.”

TxDOT officials said within the next two years, they will spend $600 million on widening roads, adding additional striping and lighting, and installing new technology across the state.

Another factor contributing to highway accidents and deaths is the congested oil field. The five largest oil- and gas-producing areas account for nearly half of Texas’ fatal traffic crashes.

The sprawling Permian Basin, which covers much of West Texas and extends into New Mexico and is perhaps the nation’s biggest producer of oil and gas, saw 485 highway deaths and 1,321 serious injuries in 2018. The number of traffic crashes increased 13% from 2017 and the fatalities jumped 20% from 2017.

TxDOT statistics show Martin County having 242 crashes in 2017 that resulted in five fatalities and then 262 crashes in 2018 that resulted in eight fatalities.

Data and statistics for 2019 will not be available for a few more months but the upward trend in accidents and fatalities is expected to continue.

2020 could be even more dangerous for motorists traveling in Martin County as Tx-DOT has a couple major plans that are expected to begin in the summer months.

The bridge on the west side of Stanton is expected to be replaced and the bridge on the east side of Stanton is in need of repair.

Both jobs will require extensive work that will require crews to close one or both lanes of interstate traffic which will ultimately cause traffic to back up for miles.

More information on both bridge projects will be made available in the coming months.