Texas Car Crash Statistics 2023 vs. 2022

More than a thousand people move to Texas daily, which means more drivers are traveling on our 200,000 miles of state-maintained roadways. To keep up with the influx, state officials have invested billions of dollars to make our roads safer.

Still, it’s been 23 years since a day went by without a traffic fatality in Texas.

And while this is a very eye-opening statistic, Texas envisions a future with zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries. It has adopted a “Road to Zero” plan to reduce traffic fatalities on Texas roads to zero by 2050, and half by 2035.

So, how are we doing? Let’s look at crash statistics from the past two years.

Texas Crash Data

Have you ever wondered what happens to Texas crash reports after an accident? Where do they go from your local police department? These reports –  whether filed by police or drivers through blue forms – are submitted to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).

Those reports are then entered into the Crash Records Information System (CRIS), an extensive database maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. It contains data from every crash report filed in Texas. It is an exhaustive database from which useful information can be mined.

In this post, we will share our findings after doing just that – analyzing data from CRIS and other government agencies. You’ll find information here you won’t find anywhere else.

For example, it’s easy to track the increase or decrease in accidents based on crash type, but the information tells a much more helpful story when combined with other sources of information, such as data on population growth in Texas over the same period.

So, let’s jump right in and compare 2022 against 2023, the most recent years complete car crash statistics are available.

The Number of Crashes in Texas Held Steady in 2023

Overall, there were 3,367 more accidents reported in 2023 than in 2022. That is less than a 1 percent increase in the total number of crashes. There were 555,586 accidents in 2022 and 558,953 accidents in 2023. That translates to:

• 1,531 accidents per day in Texas in 2023
• 46,579 accidents per month;
• 10,748 accidents per week.

That’s just over 1 accident per minute in Texas in 2023.

Texas Population Growth Against Crash Data

Let’s compare this against population growth. Texas, the second-largest state in the U.S. by both area and population, sees a vast amount of traffic on its roads each day. Texas grew in population by 1.6 percent last year, adding more people than any other state in the nation last year, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Although there were more crashes in Texas last year, the rate at which crashes increased was less than the rate that the population grew by.

Fatal Car Crashes Were Down in Texas

In 2023, there were 3,855 fatal car crashes in Texas, compared to 3,965 in 2022. That’s a 2.8 percent reduction in fatal car crashes, even while the population increased by 1.6 percent. Those crashes resulted in 4,268 lost lives in 2023 and 4,407 in 2022. 

While even a single death is one too many, a reduction in fatal crashes is at least a step in the right direction. Advanced safety features in modern vehicles, combined with highway improvements and increased education, have likely contributed to the reduction of traffic fatalities across Texas.

The Number of Texans Injured in Motor Vehicle Accidents Went Up

And while fatalities decreased, the number of people injured in vehicle accidents increased in Texas. In 2023, 250,182 people were injured in vehicle accidents, compared to 244,325 the year before. That’s 5,857 more injuries from motor vehicle accidents in Texas in 2023 than in 2022. That is an increase of about 2.3 percent, slightly more than the increase in population in Texas over the same period of time.

Remarkable Reduction in Alcohol-Related Accidents in Texas in 2023

Drunk driving crashes are a serious problem in Texas, but fortunately, we are seeing a downward trend – especially in alcohol-related fatalities. In 2023, 3,547 people died in alcohol-related accidents, compared to 4,756 the year before, despite a 1.6 percent increase in population. This represents a 25.4 percent reduction in alcohol-related accident deaths in 2023.

Alcohol-related crashes overall were down, as well. In 2023, there were 23,844 alcohol-related crashes, compared to 24,951 the year before. That’s 1,107 fewer alcohol-related accidents, representing a 4.4 percent decrease.

Driving While Intoxicated Filings vs. Intoxication-Related Fatalities in Texas 

Dallas, Tarrant, and Harris County all saw reductions in alcohol-related fatality crashes and misdemeanor DWI cases. Bexar County, which had the greatest reduction in alcohol-related fatalities, had about 10 percent more misdemeanor DWI cases filed in 2023 when compared to 2022. 

Statewide, filings of misdemeanor DWIs dropped about 3.4 percent while alcohol-related motor vehicle accident deaths dropped by over 25 percent.

Dallas County Accidents

In 2023, there were 52,115 accidents in Dallas County, compared to 54,555 in 2022 – a decrease of 2,440 car accidents. And while the total number of accidents was down, fatalities were slightly up at 332 – 10 more than the previous year.

The number of alcohol-related fatalities went down significantly with 349 in 2023, compared to 551 in 2022. 

The number of motorcycle accidents remained almost the same, with 42 in 2023 and 46 in 2022. The total number of individuals injured in accidents went up by over 500, with 25,142 injuries in 2023 and 25,708 in 2022.

Tarrant County Accident Statistics

There were 29,043 accidents reported in Tarrant County in 2023, up 34 accidents from 2022, a virtual dead heat. There were 13 more fatalities from car accidents in Tarrant County in 2023 compared to 2022, with 215 and 202, respectively.

There were 120 alcohol-related car accident fatalities in Tarrant County in 2023 – and 21 more than the previous year.

The number of motorcycle fatalities jumped from 40 in 2022 to 54 in 2023.

Harris County Accident Statistics

The number of accidents stayed relatively steady in Harris County. There were 115,806 accidents in Harris County in 2022, compared to 116,473 accidents reported to TXDOT  in 2023.

The total number of fatal car accidents dropped from 559 in 2022 to 534 in 2023.

The number of alcohol-related fatalities had an even greater drop from 834 alcohol-related fatalities in Harris County in 2022 to 701 alcohol-related traffic accident deaths in 2023.

The number of motorcycle accidents went from 110 in 2023 to 100 in 2022 in Harris County. The total number of injuries arising from traffic accidents went up 46,569 in 2022 to 47,598 in 2023.

Bexar County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

The total number of accidents in Bexar County rose from 47,467 in 2022 to 48,690 in 2023. The number of fatalities from traffic accidents in Bexar over that same period dropped from 247 to 209.

Massive Drop in Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities in Bexar County in 2023

Even more remarkably, the number of alcohol-related traffic accident deaths dropped from 318 to 132, a reduction of almost 58%, the greatest drop in the cities mentioned in this article. According to the Office of Court Administration, in 2023 about 10% more misdemeanor driving while intoxicated cases were filed in Bexar County than were filed the previous year.

First-Time DWIs Reduced in Bexar, But in More Limited Circumstances in 2023

Bexar County offers reductions of first-time DWIs to Obstruction of Highway charges, but in 2023 changed their policy to no longer allow those if the blood alcohol concentration was over .15 or if there was an accident. The county reported a 3% lower recidivism rate for individuals who pled to Obstruction charges compared to those who pled to DWI charges.

Motorcycle accident fatalities in Bexar County increased from 28 to 37 from 2022 to 2023. The total number of injuries arising from traffic accidents in Bexar County dropped marginally from 20,077 in 2022 to 19,851 in 2023.

Travis County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

Travis County saw an overall decrease in motor vehicle accidents going from 17,468 accidents in 2022 to 17,257 accidents in 2023, a reduction of 2.2%. The total number of fatalities went down by 5.3% and the number of alcohol-related fatalities went down by nearly 27%. Like many other counties, the number of motorcycle-related fatalities went up. In Travis County specifically, it went up nearly 13% in 2023.

Collin County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

Collin County saw an increase in motor vehicle accidents by 1,022, an increase of roughly 7.4%. The number of fatalities from motor vehicle accidents dropped from 76 in 2022 to 62 in 2023, an 18% reduction. The total number of alcohol-related fatalities in motor vehicle accidents also dropped from 70 to 45 by 2023, a 36% reduction. Collin County saw fewer motorcycle-related deaths, dropping from 19 in 2022 to 17 in 2023.

Denton County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

Denton County had about a 2.5% increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents in 2023 from the previous year. The total number of fatalities stemming from motor vehicle accidents increased from 48 in 2022 to 51 in 2023. There was nearly a 60% increase in alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths in 2023 compared to the previous year in Denton County, jumping from 25 to 40. The most dramatic increase in deaths was the nearly doubling of motorcycle-related deaths, jumping from 8 in 2022 to 17 in 2023.

Hidalgo County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

Hidalgo County saw a 2.4% increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents in 2023 as compared to the previous year. There was an increase in the number of fatalities from 76 to 83 during the same period, an increase of 9.2%. The number of alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities dropped from 129 to 116, a reduction of 10%, and the number of motorcycle accident-related fatalities dropped from 10 to 6 in 2023.

El Paso County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

El Paso County saw a 3.15% drop in the total number of motor vehicle accidents in 2023 as compared to 2022. There was a nearly 7% increase in the number of fatalities arising from motor vehicle accidents, going from 89 in 2022 to 95 in 2023. There was a 30% increase in the number of alcohol-related fatalities, jumping from 76 to 99, and an 85% reduction in motorcycle-related fatalities dropping from 20 deaths in 2022 to 3 deaths in 2023.

Fort Bend County Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics

Fort Bend County saw a 10% increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents in 2023 versus 2022. There was a 26% increase in the number of motor vehicle accident-related deaths, but a nearly 4% reduction in alcohol-related deaths. The number of motorcycle fatalities increased by one.

Motorcycle Accidents Increased in Texas in 2023

In 2023, there were 278 more motorcycle accidents than the year before, representing a 3.3 percent increase. There was also an increase in motorcycle accident fatalities – with 54 more fatalies in 2023, compared to 2022, which is a 7.7 percent increase.

Funding for Texas Road Improvements

Texas Department of Transportation’s Unified Transportation Program has a massive impact on North Texas roadways. TxDoT has earmarked $5.2 billion for projects in the Fort Worth area and $11.5 billion earmarked for projects around Dallas. This 10-year investment is part of $142 billion that will be poured into Texas roadways.