Three of Five Deadliest Highways for Holiday Travel are in Texas

In the coming weeks, there’s a strong possibility that you and your family may be doing some holiday travel. Visiting family in Texas for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve/Day often means getting on our highways. Whether you’re traveling to the Gulf Coast, the High Plains, or the Hill Country, you should be aware, drive with caution, and always watch out for the other guy. It could mean the difference between life and death for many on the road this holiday season.

Last year, we reported the estimates for the expected number of Texans to make a trip for the holidays in the month of December. “AAA Texas has predicted that during the holiday travel period, close to 9.1 million Texans will be driving, flying, or taking a train somewhere for family fun or festivities,” we stated. This year, ValuePenguin, a personal finance website, released a report with respect to holiday travel data which will make you cringe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2015 to 2018, there were more than 3,000 fatalities as a result of traffic accidents, over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Not only that, but the five deadliest highways to travel for the holidays were identified, and three of them are in Texas.

Photo: Flickr/Ken Lund

I-35 (Texas to Minnesota), I-20 (Texas to South Carolina), and I-10 (California to Florida) were among the five deadliest holiday travel routes identified. This infamous category accounted for 15 percent of the holiday travel fatalities that occurred on our entire National Highway System. Also, according to the ValuePenguin report, approximately one in three traffic fatalities over the holiday season involved alcohol. The full report can be read at the link available here. Above all else, please keep safety and defensive driving in mind when you’re embarking on your holiday highway travel. It may help to keep things merry and bright.