How safe is driving in Dallas-Fort Worth?

car wreck

 Should you feel terrified to drive in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex? Find out what the latest driving safety data reveals.

How worried should you be about driving in the DFW Metroplex?

Should you feel terrified?

…Or should you feel relatively safe?

Of course, you’d think we’re going to have the most total injuries and accidents because the Metroplex is the most populous area in the state.

So anyway, we wanted to do a quick statistical study to learn the truth.

Here’s what we decided to do:

That’ll give you a decent idea of where you should feel on guard…and where you can relax.

The Findings

So, take a look here at the four most popular metro areas in the state, and their crash data:

  1. Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Population: 6,371,773. Total crashes: 59,045 Fatal crashes: 286 Crash rate: .92% Fatal crash rate: .0044%
  2. Houston/The Woodlands/Sugar Land Population: 6,086,538 Total crashes: 68,825 Fatal crashes: 238 Crash rate: 1.13% Fatal crash rate: .0039%
  3. San Antonio/New Braunfels: Population: 2,142,508 Total crashes: 47,536 Fatal crashes: Crash rate: 2.2% Fatal crash rate: .0086%
  4. Austin/Round Rock/San Marcos: Population: 1,716,289 Total crashes: 19,811 Fatal crashes: 91 Crash rate: 1.15% Fatal crash rate: .0053%

So What Do You Do With this Data?

Well, first you can start off by harassing your family and friends from San Antonio about their statistically proven inability to drive!

Their crash and fatality rates sit nearly twice that of our three other largest metropolitan areas.

And by the way, here in the DFW Metroplex, you can feel safer. We’re on the lower side of the statistics.

Even though we have the most total traffic fatalities, we have a far lower rate for the number of people in the area.

So comparatively speaking to the other main metro areas in Texas, we’re safe drivers.

Houston and Austin are appreciably similar to DFW. So you can spare your social contacts there from your harassment.

…But Don’t Use This to Allow You to Think You’re Safe in DFW

Despite the fact DFW may be one of the safer places to drive in Texas, we’re still not a safe area when compared to the rest of the nation.

Data consistently ranks our drivers as some of the worst in the country:

  • A 2016 study by Car Insurance Comparison tied Texas with Louisiana for the worst drivers in the country
  • Texas drivers got a “D” grade from the National Safety Council
  • Allstate found 9 cities in the DFW Metroplex, including Dallas itself, have more dangerous drivers than anywhere else in the state

Why?

Troy Walden, a Texas A&M researcher at the university’s Center for Transportation safety, believes it’s because our population is growing so fast we can’t create the road and highway infrastructure necessary to keep up.

More drivers. Less space. More accidents.

So should you feel safe when driving in DFW?

Compared to other areas of Texas, yes.

But you shouldn’t relax, either. Because our drivers have a long way to go when it comes to safety.

If you do get in an accident and it’s not your fault, contact a lawyer.

Suggested Reading

What you need to know about accidents in the United States

Texas drivers beware: Motorists don’t carry enough insurance

New research reveals how deadly Texas’ highways are

How much personal injury compensation can you get in Texas?