TYLER, Texas — In 2022, driving under the influence of alcohol, an unsafe speed and not staying in a single lane of traffic were the leading causes of fatal crashes in the East Texas area.
According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation Tyler District, there were 167 fatal crashes and 192 total deaths across eight East Texas counties.
The Tyler District includes Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rusk, Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood counties.
Based on the data, the top five causes of these fatal driving incidents are:
- Under the Influence of Alcohol - 31 fatal crashes
- Failed to Drive in a Single Lane – 28 fatal crashes
- Unsafe Speed – 25 fatal crashes
- Failed to Control Speed – 23 fatal crashes
- Pedestrian Failed to Yield ROW to Vehicle – 18 fatal crashes
Numbers from the reports show the number of crashes that had at least one driver with the indicated contributing factor. Because of this, the total number of wrecks does not equal the total number of crashes in the TxDOT Tyler District.
“Even though the total number of fatal crashes and total fatalities decreased in 2022, we still believe that one death is too many”, said TxDOT Tyler District Engineer Vernon Webb.
Webb added it's important to take notice of these factors and work together to reduce deadly crashes.
Data also shows 147 people died in rural area traffic wrecks, which accounted for 77% of the Tyler area's traffic deaths, in 2022. There was a 67% increase in the amount of DUI-related deaths, meaning 55 deaths in 2022 compared to 33 in 2021.
Single-vehicle/run-off-the-road crashes led to 59 deaths in 2022, which makes up 31% of all motor vehicle deaths in the East Texas area. There were 55 people who died while not wearing a seatbelt.
Pedestrian crashes decreased by 17% in 2022 in East Texas. There were a total of 25 wrecks. Three pedal-cyclist died last year, the data showed.
In January last year, there were 22 deadly crashes, which was more than any other month in the year. May came in second with 19 fatal wrecks.