Important Facts & Statistics About Car Accidents in Texas

A Closer Look at the Statistics

Fatality Statistics

1. In 2020, the fatality rate on Texas roadways reached a high of 1.50 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled. While it may first sound like a small number, this ratio is nearly a 19% increase from 2019, where Texas experienced 1.26 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled.
2. That was not the only devastating fatality statistic Texas saw an increase in during the 2020 calendar year. The 2020 death toll reached 3,896 – more than a 7.5% increase from 2019. (There were 3,623 total fatalities in 2019.)
3. Across the state, there were also a total of 12,107 “serious injury crashes,” which left 14,656 motorists and passengers to sustain a “serious injury” as a result of the collision.
4. Over half (51.03% to be exact) of all fatalities within the state of Texas occurred in rural areas of the state. In these rural area crashes, there were a total of 1,988 deaths.
5. Single-vehicle, run-off-the-road crashes made up over one-third (34.75%) of fatal car accidents in 2020. These crashes resulted in 1,354 deaths.
6. Intersection-related accidents resulted in another 865 deaths in 2020. 
7. Head-on accidents claimed the lives of 538 people in 2020.
8. Texas did not experience one “deathless day” on its roadways in 2020.
9. Two accidents claimed the lives of six or more people in the same collision.
10. Sunday, June 21st, Friday, August 14th, and Monday, December 28th, were the “deadliest” fatality days in 2020. On each of these days, car accidents cut the lives of 22 people short. As a whole, October was the deadliest month in terms of car fatalities in 2020 (382 deaths).
11. Based on reported crashes in 2020, here are the accident-to-time ratios:
    1. 1 person was killed every 2 hours and 15 minutes
    2. 1 person was injured every 2 minutes and 34 seconds
    3. 1 reportable crash occurred every 1 minute and 7 seconds
12. There were 717 pedestrian fatalities in 2020, an 8.47% increase from 2019, and 79 pedalcyclist fatalities, a 16.18% increase from 201

Travel and Safety Statistics

13. In 2020, the total number of vehicle miles traveled topped out at 260.580 billion. Despite the rise in fatalities, 2020 saw a decrease in numbers traveled compared to the 288.227 billion miles traveled in 2019 – a decrease of 10.61%.
14. A reported 46.54% of fatalities in 2020 recorded that the person(s) killed was not wearing a seatbelt or taking safety precautions when the car accident took place.
15. 205,498 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic accidents in 2020.
16. In total, 482 motorcyclists – including drivers and passengers – were killed in 2020. What’s more upsetting is the fact that 45% of motorcyclists killed were not wearing helmets upon impact.

Under the Influence and Drunk Driving in Texas Statistics

17. Nearly 25% of all fatal accidents occurred at the hands of a motorist who was under the influence at the time of the collision. There were 958 people killed in these types of accidents.
18. There were more DUI-related crashes reported between the hour of 2-3 a.m. than any other hour of the day. In addition, Saturdays experienced the most DUI-related car accidents compared to any other day of the week.

What the Numbers Mean