Dallas, Texas – Speeding continues to take a devastating toll on Texas roads, and now state officials are stepping up efforts to combat the crisis with an intensified enforcement campaign running through early August.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and law enforcement agencies across the state have started “Operation Slowdown,” a high-visibility effort to cut down on crashes caused by speeding. The program started on July 18 and will run until August 3. Its goal is to address one of the most common and deadly problems on Texas highways.
TxDOT says that speeding was the main reason people died in car accidents in Texas last year. There were 158,362 speed-related crashes in the state in 2024, which killed 1,467 persons. With 4,150 total crash deaths documented, these crashes were responsible for more than 35% of all traffic deaths in the state. Another 5,921 individuals suffered serious injuries because they were going too fast.
“Speeding is a major problem in our state,” said Cathy Kratz, Deputy Director for TxDOT’s Traffic Safety Division, during a recent press conference.
In 2024, speeding caused more than 430 crashes every day on average. And it’s not just a number; it’s a choice. Driving too fast is an action that can have significant and sometimes catastrophic effects.
The campaign isn’t only about getting people to know about it; it’s also about making sure that the rules are followed. Officers are patrolling more vigorously, giving out citations, and informing drivers of the dangers. The idea is to get drivers to think twice before going too fast, especially those who don’t realize how dangerous it is.
According to TxDOT, younger drivers and men are more likely to be in crashes that involve speeding. Kratz thinks that a lot of people in this group can feel “invincible” or think that “the worst will never happen to them.” Kratz said that the campaign’s goal is to change that way of thinking, stating that it’s never worth a life to get somewhere a few minutes sooner.
In 2024, the counties with the deadliest speeding-related accidents were Harris (176 deaths), Dallas (118), Tarrant (86), Bexar (66), and Travis (42). Speeding caused about 9,000 car accidents in Travis County last year, killing 92 people and seriously injuring 444 others.
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TxDOT wants drivers to slow down and think more about their decisions behind the wheel with “Operation Slowdown.” Officials hope that the financial effects of speeding citations will get drivers’ attention if the emotional weight of possible loss doesn’t shift behavior. The message is clear either way: speeding costs a lot more than it saves.
