Unfortunately, traffic dangers are a way of life for Houston residents. If you must commute to work, drive to school, or even run to the store, you may be using some of the most dangerous roads in all of Texas. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute finds that Houston has six of the most congested highways in the state. And with the constant mistakes local drivers make, the elevated traffic will always lead to far too many collisions and injuries.
The only real way to improve safety on our roads and highways is to get drivers to pay more attention to the lanes ahead. The Gutierrez Law Firm hopes that a look at the most recent accident statistics for Houston will be a wake-up call for all Texas motorists. We believe the discouraging data highlighted in this study can help lead to a safer 2024 and beyond.
How Many Car Accidents Are There in Houston Each Year?
Houston recorded 67,644 car accidents in 2023. That’s according to Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) data. After a dip in incidents in the 2020 pandemic year, Houston has averaged about 67,400 accidents a year.
It’s evident on the chart below that accident rates in Houston have continued to rise each year since the pandemic, leaving us waiting on 2024 figures for hope that improvement is possible.
Contributing to the drastic accident numbers is the daily morning rush and evening rush in and around the city. The Houston area can have around two million vehicles on the road each day. As mentioned above, Texas A&M found that local routes are the busiest in the entire state.
Researchers found that the IH-610 West Loop and Highway 59 through downtown were the two most congested roads in Texas. The Southwest Freeway also ranked in the top 5.
How Many People Get Injured in Houston Accidents Each Year?
Houston saw 1,612 victims rushed to local hospitals with serious injuries after traffic accidents in 2023. TxDOT numbers show that injury rates have remained fairly steady over the three-year span since the pandemic year of 2020 when road use was greatly reduced.
Houston’s Vision Zero report confirms that almost five people a day are left with serious injuries in the city.
The number of Houston crashes leading to serious injuries has remained very steady since 2021. 2023 figures showed a slight increase over 2022 and a large jump over pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019.
How May People Die in Houston Car Accidents Each Year?
TxDOT research shows that 290 people tragically lost their lives on Houston streets, highways, and interstates in 2023. Over the past half-decade, Houston has averaged almost 300 traffic deaths a year.
Houston’s Vision Zero report also confirms the sad news that the city sees around one traffic death a day.
These statistics represent more than just numbers in a chart though. They represent the loss of human life, a loss for local families and friends, and a loss for the community with each death.
2023’s fatality rates were down about 11% from 2022 figures, but it remains to be seen if 2024 can keep the trend going in the right direction.
What Texas Cities Have the Most Car Accidents?
According to TXDOT’s figures, Houston is by far the city with the most car accidents in Texas each year. The city’s final total on accidents in 2023 was 27,500 more than the next closest city which turned out to be San Antonio with over 40,000 accidents recorded in 2023.
Dallas came in third for accident totals. Sadly, when Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington accident rates are combined they still don’t reach the levels that Houston documents each year.
The news was just as bad regarding Houston’s fatal accident statistics. Houston’s 290 lost lives was a figure far ahead of Dallas’ 205 traffic fatalities.
It’s no surprise that Houston is the scene for so many roadway tragedies each year. Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S. and, of course, the biggest city in Texas.
Texas is the second largest state in the nation and it goes back and forth with California as having the most traffic fatalities each year. TxDOT reported that in 2023 Texas saw 427,008 accidents across the state and recorded a tragic 2,204 deaths.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that Texas ranked just behind California and ahead of Florida on a list of the most deadly states for traffic accidents in 2022.
Hope For Safer Roads in Houston
Houston residents deserve to live in a city where they can count on safe travel heading out for the day and a safe journey back home each night. Hopefully, drivers who are fully aware of the consequences their carelessness can cause will be encouraged to put down their cell phones and pay more attention to the roads. It’s the best hope for improved traffic safety for those who will be using Houston roadways in 2024 and 2025.
If you were hurt in a Houston area car accident and a driver’s mistake was to blame, please make sure you receive the full support you’ll need to make a recovery. Gutierrez Law Firm of Houston is happy to show you how to earn justice and financial help after a devastating collision. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation case consultation.
