don't drive distracted

Houston is deadliest city for drivers on Memorial Day weekend, study says

Houstonians need to pay special attention while on the road this Memorial Day weekend.

Photo by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash

Houstonians, keep your eyes on the road throughout the upcoming long holiday weekend. A new study has revealed Houston is the No. 1 deadliest city to drive in during the Memorial Day weekend.

The report by insurance agency Jerry analyzed traffic fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from 2018 to 2022 to determine the most deadly cities and the average number of fatal vehicle accidents throughout the holiday period, which the NHTSA says begins from Friday at 6 pm through Tuesday at 6 am.

Texas is the deadliest state for Memorial Day driving, experiencing 218 traffic fatalities on average during the holiday period from 2018 to 2022. Houston swerved into the No. 1 spot for the deadliest city, with 20 fatalities on average.

Dallas ranked right behind Houston as the second most dangerous U.S. city during the Memorial Day weekend with an average of 19 fatalities during the five-year period from 2018-2022.

"Memorial Day weekend is a time of celebration for most Americans, but it's deadly for hundreds of people each year," the report said. "And it has grown deadlier since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Nationally, fatal crashes are most likely to occur between 11 pm and midnight on the Saturday before Memorial Day. A majority of the fatalities (38 percent) are men between the ages of 20-29, as they made up 380 fatalities between 2018-2022.

According to the study's findings, the number of nationwide fatal crashes during the Memorial Day holiday period in 2022 (where the most recent data is available) jumped 8.6 percent from pre-COVID figures in 2019, and it was an 8.1 percent increase from 2021.

The top three deadliest states – Texas, California, and Florida – each had more than twice the average number of deadly crashes than any other state. Georgia, which ranked No. 4, saw an average of 79 fatal crashes between 2018-2022.

The top 10 deadliest cities with the most traffic fatalities during Memorial Day are:

Houston, Texas (average of 20 fatalities)
Dallas, Texas (19)
Indianapolis, Indiana (18)
Chicago, Illinois (16)
Los Angeles, California (12)
Detroit, Michigan (11)
Phoenix, Arizona (11)
Memphis, Tennessee (9)
New York, New York (9)
Jacksonville, Florida (9)

The full report can be found on getjerry.com.

houston dallas texas holiday reports traffic traffic fatalities

have more patience

Texas drivers are the 2nd worst in the nation for road rage, study finds

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

It may be tempting to lose your temper behind the wheel, but it's not really worth it.

While Texas is one of the best states to drive in, apparently Texans need to pay more attention to their speeding habits and check their tempers. The Lone Star State has landed on top of a new list of states with the worst drivers in 2025.

The unlucky ranking comes in a new report by personal injury law firm Easton Law Offices, which analyzed driver data – including road rage incidents, speeding, fatal crashes, and more – to determine the top 10 states with the worst drivers.

Overall, Florida was ranked the No. 1 state with the worst drivers in the nation, and Texas followed close behind in second place.

According to the report's findings, Texas had 2.5 road rage incidents and 7.2 aggressive driving fatal accidents reported for every 100,000 residents from 2014 to 2023. Aggressive and careless driving behavior was cited in 37.4 percent of all accidents, and it was a factor in 38.8 percent of all fatalities.

Additionally, 1.2 speeding violations were reported in the state for every 100,000 residents.

Texas has previously been ranked the second most dangerous state for young drivers, in 2023.

But it's not just typical vehicle drivers that need to exercise more patience when getting behind the wheel – motorcyclists also need to be on high alert while on the road, and remember to wear their helmets.

"Texas also has a high rate of total vehicle crashes (3,966) and motorcycle fatalities (558), with a sizable 37.32 percent of motorcycle deaths occurring among unhelmeted drivers," the report said.

Houston drivers specifically have been called out in previous years for their less-than-stellar driving habits, and Memorial Day is often one of the deadliest holidays for drivers in the city.

The top 10 states with the worst drivers in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Florida
No. 2 – Texas
No. 3 – California
No. 4 – Colorado
No. 5 – Louisiana
No. 6 – Arkansas
No. 7 – Montana
No. 8 – New Mexico
No. 9 – North Carolina
No. 10 – Ohio

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