Texas marks a somber memorial, acknowledging 24 years since a day passed without a single death on its roadways. As of November 7, 2000, not a day has slipped by without a life taken on the Texan asphalt, but the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) are now doubling down efforts to reverse this tragic trend. Their plan includes heightened sharing of safety messages with drivers, with hopes fastened on preventing another year of loss and heartache.
Over 87,000 individuals, across the span of these years, have perished in accidents, with TxDOT reporting an average of 10 fatalities each day in 2024, according to a statement. A response to this daunting number, TxDOT, and DPS have enlisted the presence of tip cards designed to remind drivers of the critical, simple steps that can often mean the difference between life and an abrupt descent into tragedy.
"After more than two decades, it’s long past time to end the streak of daily deaths on our roadways, but it’ll take all of us to get it done," expressed TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams, as stated by the Texas Department of Transportation. Enacting such a large-scale change calls for the collaboration of state agencies and the awareness and vigilance of every driver who takes to the road.
One family bears the weight of this ongoing epidemic with unspeakable poignancy. Aspen Blessing, an 18-year-old who observed every letter of the road's law – seatbelt fastened, speed respected, distractions shelved – had her future severed by a drunk driver. "The hardest part is that Aspen did everything right," mourned Aspen's mother, Jen Blessing in an interview with TxDOT.This narrative is far from solitary, and the push to #EndTheStreakTX is fueled by each of these stories, each of these could-have-been tomorrows.
For more information on how Texas aims to tackle roadway tragedies or to get involved, contact TxDOT's Media Relations at [email protected] or call 512-463-8700.