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The second-largest state in the country, Texas, is home to around 30 million people. Texas is a huge state full of roads, streets, tollways, freeways, highways, and more. In fact, Texas has more total miles of traffic lanes than any other state in the country at 676,917 miles. With this increased roadway space come a larger number of motor vehicle crashes; and, Texas has not gone a single day without a roadway death in several years. There are many highways that can be considered deadly across the country, but the deadliest highways in Texas are large in number and worth knowing about for every driver and passenger charting their routes to their destinations. Texas has seven of the 25 most dangerous roads in the nation – the most of any other state – so be careful out there!

What are the deadliest roads and highways in Texas?

There are several lists of the deadliest roads in Texas, and near the top of them all, you’ll find the same massive highway. Interstate 45 (I-45) in Houston is the deadliest roadway in our entire state, followed by Stemmons Freeway / Interstate 35 (I-35) in Austin and Dallas. Another Houston highway, Interstate 10 (I-10) follows closely behind I-35. The next two are U.S. Route 175 and Interstate 20 (I-20) in Dallas. Also on this list, you can find Marvin D Love Freeway in Dallas, Tomball Parkway (TX-249) in Houston, Texas 12 Loop in Dallas, Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway in Mesquite, and Garland, Texas 183 in Irving, Fort Worth, and Euless, and more. Many of these roads and highways suffer from outdated, shoddy infrastructure, which can make an ordinary driving mistake turn life-threatening.

I-45 is not only the most dangerous highway in Texas, it has also been named the most dangerous U.S. highway, averaging 56.5 fatal accidents every 100 miles, with Houston the deadliest stretch generating 73 deaths in at least one recent year, 2019. It connects Dallas to Galveston, going through Conroe and The Woodlands, and has been the most dangerous highway nationally since 2011.

What makes these particular highways so dangerous?

While crashes can and do occur on any roadway regardless of location, condition, and speed limit, three out of the ten most deadly five-mile stretches of Texas roadway are in Dallas. Many factors can combine to cause devastating dangerous road conditions, including:

• Traffic congestion
• Distracted driving behaviors, including texting and driving
• Inadequate infrastructure or otherwise dangerous road conditions
• Severe weather conditions – 10% of Texas crashes are weather-related due to conditions including snow, ice, sleet, and fog (not to mention massive rain and flooding)
• Speeding or otherwise failing to adhere to traffic laws, signs, and signals
• Automobile defects
• Road construction
• Lots of large trucks travel Texas roads and accidents involving them can be fatal

There are reasons why the accidents on highways are more frequent and more likely to be fatal, including those mentioned above, as well as occupants not wearing seatbelts, being on these thoroughfares during rush hour, and because of the sheer number of miles traveled on them. In addition, some outdated laws lock in the dangerous road and street designs – including mandating wide lanes that encourage speeding – and many of us drive vehicles that can prove deadly to pedestrians, cyclists, and others traveling alongside us not inside of a vehicle.

Amarillo’s Most Dangerous Roadways

It makes sense that highways may not always feel as safe. Drivers are usually traveling faster and have more lanes to pay attention to, which can be challenging for even the most experienced drivers. Amarillo’s main highway is Interstate 40 (I-40); and, many of our city’s most dangerous intersections involve it, including the following:

• S. Georgia St. & I-40
• I-40 & S. Western St.
• I-40 & Coulter St. S
• S. Soncy Rd. & I-40

Amarillo Fatal Car Accident Lawyers

Being involved in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence can be very stressful. It can feel overwhelming having to deal with the insurance companies and recuperate from any injuries you may have sustained. Fortunately, you don’t have to be alone. Lovell, Lovell, Isern & Farabough, LLP is a law firm dedicated to fighting for those who have been wronged. Based in Amarillo, we serve the Tri-State area and beyond. Our lawyers are licensed to practice in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas.

We partner with our clients to learn not just about their legal issues, but what matters most to them in life – and we structure our advice and our cases with that information in mind. Our goal is always to reduce the burden of dealing with complex legal proceedings in order to allow our clients to focus on their physical, financial, and emotional recovery after a roadway accident affects their lives. For more information on how we can help, call us at 806-373-1515 or contact us online.