End the Streak: Texas Has Gone 26 Years Without a Deathless Day on Its Roads
Since November 7, 2000, someone has died on Texas roads every single day - more than 95,000 people in all. TxDOT and the Department of Public Safety are spending two weeks asking drivers, at traffic stops across the state, to finally end the streak.
Texas has more than 95,000 reasons to end the streak of daily traffic deaths, the Texas Department of Transportation said in its November 5 announcement: since November 7, 2000, someone has died on Texas roads every day, and more than 95,000 people have been killed in traffic crashes since then. Nearly 26 years later, TxDOT is asking Texans to work together to finally end the streak, under its #EndTheStreakTX campaign, part of the agency's Drive like a Texan: Kind. Courteous. Safe. initiative.
Beginning November 7, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are distributing safe-driving tips during traffic stops for two weeks: buckle up, avoid distractions, drive safe speeds, get a sober ride, and move over or slow down. “Our Texas Highway Patrol troopers see firsthand how everyday decisions behind the wheel can mean the difference between life and death,” said Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee. TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said: “Each life lost is a reminder of why we all need to work together to end this streak of daily deaths.”
The numbers behind the campaign moved the right way last year without breaking the streak. In 2025, Texas recorded 3,763 traffic deaths, down nearly 10 percent from 4,162 in 2024. TxDOT says it is investing $16 billion in safety improvements through the state's 10-year plan, including cable barriers, rumble strips, and innovative intersections such as roundabouts, which the agency says can reduce fatalities at intersections by 90 percent.
The campaign carries a particular weight in Houston: Click2Houston has cited TxDOT in reporting that Harris County leads the state in driving-while-intoxicated fatalities. TxDOT asks drivers to spread the word by posting the changes they will make behind the wheel with the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX - and, more to the point, to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous, and safe.
