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.
Road deaths in Texas since 1975
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 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. Interstate, US and state routes ranked by fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024; ramps and frontage roads are left out (1,145 crashes). Roads with 15 or more fatal crashes in 2022 to 2024 have their own page.
| 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-35 | 1,032 | 1,141 | 327 | Travis, Dallas, Bexar |
| 3 | I-20 | 851 | 980 | 216 | Dallas, Tarrant, Ector |
| 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 | US 287 | 307 | 364 | 113 | Tarrant, Ellis, Wilbarger |
| 8 | US 281 | 296 | 356 | 89 | Bexar, Blanco, Hidalgo |
| 9 | State Highway 6 | 283 | 312 | 83 | Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend |
| 10 | US 90 | 279 | 315 | 103 | Bexar, Harris, Jefferson |
| 11 | US 69 | 272 | 320 | 78 | Jefferson, Angelina, Cherokee |
| 12 | I-69 | 264 | 284 | 82 | Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery |
| 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 | US 183 | 209 | 235 | 79 | Travis, Williamson, Gonzales |
| 18 | State Highway 71 | 205 | 246 | 67 | Travis, Bastrop, Fayette |
| 19 | US 82 | 203 | 229 | 67 | Grayson, Lamar, Bowie |
| 20 | US 190 | 200 | 225 | 62 | Polk, Bell, Robertson |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
The deadliest counties in Texas
Harris County had the most fatal crashes in Texas from 2015 to 2024: 4,571, with 4,851 deaths. 254 counties in Texas recorded a fatal crash in those years; the 20 with the most are listed.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harris | 551 | 4,571 | 4,851 |
| 2 | Dallas | 304 | 2,906 | 3,126 |
| 3 | Bexar | 208 | 1,940 | 2,051 |
| 4 | Tarrant | 193 | 1,778 | 1,901 |
| 5 | Travis | 137 | 1,306 | 1,404 |
| 6 | El Paso | 77 | 762 | 816 |
| 7 | Hidalgo | 57 | 586 | 638 |
| 8 | Montgomery | 60 | 567 | 606 |
| 9 | Collin | 66 | 525 | 576 |
| 10 | Smith | 46 | 492 | 562 |
| 11 | Denton | 47 | 479 | 521 |
| 12 | Bell | 54 | 445 | 482 |
| 13 | Lubbock | 45 | 437 | 478 |
| 14 | Williamson | 50 | 426 | 465 |
| 15 | Nueces | 46 | 415 | 445 |
| 16 | Ector | 43 | 414 | 484 |
| 17 | Galveston | 34 | 380 | 411 |
| 18 | Jefferson | 43 | 379 | 409 |
| 19 | Midland | 32 | 372 | 405 |
| 20 | Fort Bend | 38 | 370 | 389 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen in Texas
The heaviest slot is Sunday, midnight to 4 am, 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
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
| 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
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 |
| 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
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
Every vehicle in a fatal crash from 2015 to 2024, by body type (54,809 vehicles).
| 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 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-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 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 ("I35 FRONTAGE" and "I-35" are the same road; frontage roads and ramps are left out of road counts). Fields NHTSA coded as unknown show as "Not reported"; a share is only given over 20 crashes, otherwise "Not enough data". The full method.