Most drives in the Brazos Valley are routine: the commute to Bryan or College Station, a trip down a farm-to-market road, a run to the next town over. That routine is part of the problem, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT is warning that deadly crashes in the region have climbed sharply in recent weeks.
The Numbers
WTAW reported on October 16 that TxDOT’s Bryan District recorded 78 traffic deaths between January 1 and October 1 of this year. Twenty of those deaths happened in the last 60 days, more than a quarter of the year’s total in about two months.
The Bryan District covers ten counties: Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Walker, and Washington.
A district official put it plainly: these are more than statistics. They are people’s family and friends. TxDOT’s message is to slow down, stay alert, and wear a seat belt on every trip.
The Four Factors That Keep Showing Up
TxDOT says four contributing factors appear again and again in fatal crashes in the district:
- Drivers not staying in their lane
- People not wearing seat belts
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
None of these is unusual, and that’s the point. They’re everyday habits that turn deadly when something goes wrong.
If a recent ticket has you looking at your options, the Texas Defensive Driving Course may help you dismiss it. More on that below. First, the habits.
Stay in Your Lane
On rural two-lane highways, leaving your lane can mean a head-on crash or a run off the road. To stay centered:
- Look far ahead, not just at the pavement in front of your hood. Your hands follow your eyes.
- Slow down before curves, not in the middle of them.
- Pass only where it’s legal and you can see clearly. If you’re not sure, wait.
- Watch for fatigue. Drifting is often the first sign you need to stop and rest.
Buckle Up, Every Seat, Every Trip
TxDOT’s advice is to buckle up, all riders, day and night. A seat belt keeps you in place and inside the vehicle during a crash. On a short trip it’s tempting to skip it, but short, familiar trips are exactly where many crashes happen.
Drive the Limit, and Drive to Conditions
Speed shrinks your reaction time and makes every crash more violent. The posted limit is the maximum in good conditions. TxDOT also asks drivers to slow down when the weather turns bad.
Put the Phone Away
TxDOT’s guidance is simple: pay attention, focus on driving, and put the phone away or turn it off. A glance at a text at highway speed means covering a long stretch of road without looking. See our distracted driving statistics for the bigger picture.
TxDOT’s Other Reminders
As part of its Be Safe. Drive Smart. campaign, TxDOT also urges drivers to:
- Be courteous to other drivers.
- Stop for all stop signs and red lights.
- Never drive after drinking or after taking drugs or medications that cause drowsiness.
- Slow down or move over for a law enforcement vehicle, emergency vehicle, tow truck, or TxDOT vehicle stopped with flashing lights.
Got a Ticket? Ask the Court About Defensive Driving
In Texas, many drivers charged with traffic offenses can ask the court to let them take a driving safety course to have the charge dismissed. The rules are set by the court and state law, and not every ticket qualifies. For example, the City of San Antonio Municipal Court lists these eligibility requirements:
- A valid Texas driver license and current liability insurance
- No driving safety course taken to dispose of a citation in the past 12 months
- No commercial driver license
- Not charged with speeding 25 mph or more over the limit, or driving 95 mph or more
- Not charged with passing a school bus loading or unloading children
- Not charged with an offense in a construction or work zone when workers were present
- Not charged with leaving the scene of a collision after damaging a vehicle that is driven or attended
You’ll typically need to request the option from the court, plead guilty or no contest, and pay court costs. Check with the court on your citation before you enroll.
About Our Course
Defensive Drivers Institute’s Texas Defensive Driving Course is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (Course Provider CP1013). It’s 100% online and self-paced, and it’s designed to help you dismiss your ticket and satisfy your court order.
Has the court approved defensive driving for your ticket? Start the Texas Defensive Driving Course.
