Texas Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics for 2023: How We Compare to the National Average
The National Safety Council (NSC) recently released its 2023 national injury and fatality statistics for motor vehicle accidents. According to the NSC, 4.9 million people sought medical care after non-work-related car accidents, while another 200,000 people received medical care for work-related motor vehicle accidents.
Encouragingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports a different picture: out of the 5.1 million people involved in these crashes, only 2.44 million were actually injured.
National numbers for fatalities remain alarming, however. In 2023, motor vehicle crashes accounted for 40,901 deaths.
(There’s a great Clio article breaking down national injury statistics as well.)
How Does Texas Compare?
The numbers got me wondering how Texas car wreck statistics stack up against the national averages. The Texas Department of Transportation released its 2023 crash statistics earlier this year. According to TxDOT:
- 250,489 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2023, and
- 4,291 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2023.
While these figures show slight improvement from 2022, Texas injury and fatality rates remain higher than national averages.
Texas vs. National Injury & Fatality Rates
NHTSA reports that nationally, in 2023:
- 75 people were injured per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and
- 1.26 people died per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Texas, by comparison, saw:
- 83 injuries per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and
- 1.42 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
In other words, Texas drivers face a significantly higher risk of injury or death on the road than drivers in many other states.
Why Are Texas Car Accident Rates Higher?
A couple of factors immediately help explain why Texas is reporting elevated injury numbers.
1. RURAL ROADS AND HIGH SPEEDS
Texas has vast rural areas with long stretches of highway. TxDOT reports that more than half of all traffic fatalities occur in rural areas, where speeding, limited lighting, and longer emergency response times all contribute to increased danger.
2. drunk drivers
A few months back, CarPro reported a study revealing that Texas accounts for 6 of the 10 most dangerous cities in America for drunk driving fatalities.
Texans Are Driving More
In 2023 alone, Texans logged more than 300 billion miles on the road. This represented a 3.5% increase over 2022. More miles traveled naturally increases the number of collisions. Combine an increase in driving with motorists who are distracted, speed, and disproportionately drunk to motorists in other states, and that’s a recipe for disaster.
Stay safe out there.
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