Texas Has Some Bad Drivers

Originally posted on Facebook

by Blane Mather on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 11:36am

I got into a conversation on the internet about how annoying it is when drivers don't use their turn signals. And then several people noted that in certain situations if you use your turn signal to indicate you're going to change lanes, some drivers speed up to prevent you from being able to merge into their lanes.

Then I related how for a while when I was between cars, I was taking a lot of taxi cab rides. And the cab drivers here in Houston uniformly told me (since I observed the behavior and asked about it) that they don't dare signal a lane change or other drivers will do just that and prevent them from being able to get into the lane. And that got me thinking.

Great. Now I'm looking up traffic fatality statistics at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration site (http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/48_TX/2008/48_TX_2008.htm) and thinking somebody should make a documentary about how unsafe the drivers in this state and especially in this city are.

2008 Texas Average Fatality per 100,000 Population: 13.90
2008 U.S. State Average Fatality per 100,000 Population: 12.25
2008 Wisconsin Average Fatality per 100,000 Population: 10.75
2008 Illinois Average Fatality per 100,000 Population: 8.08
2008 Best State (lowest) Average Fatality per 100,000 Population: 5.59

Now I'm sure that last bit is skewed by geographic and population factors ... I don't know but I'm pretty sure there's probably less driving done per person in places like Alaska and Hawaii. But still, we're above the national average.

Also, people in this state really like to drink and drive. These are the number of Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities (BAC = .08+) Per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled for 2008.

Texas: 0.54
U.S. Average: 0.40
Wisconsin: 0.36
Illinois: 0.34
Best State: 0.16

Then, in the state of Texas, I live in the worst county for fatalities! These numbers are for 2008 and I know they're skewed because Houston is the 3rd or 4rth largest city in the U.S. but they still give me pause.

1) Harris County: 354
2) Dallas County: 202
3) Bexar County: 159
4) Tarrant County: 138
5) Travis County: 89

In fact, over the last 5 years Harris County has averaged over 1 traffic accident fatality per day. On average, every day someone in this county dies in a car accident. That is very unnerving and frustrating and ire inducing.

I wonder how much that could be reduced by people just using their turn signals, being a little more patient and tolerant with other drivers ... and not drinking and driving.