PROTECT THE YOUTH

Texas is the 2nd most dangerous state for young drivers, according to new report

Driving in Texas doesn't come without danger.

Make sure those seatbelts are fastened, folks. A new analysis has revealed just how dangerous driving can be for the younger generation in Texas.

Young drivers have made up 19 percent of all driver fatalities in the state between 2017 and 2021, according to the study commissioned by personal injury lawyer John Fitch. A full 2,292 young driver fatalities were recorded out of a total number of 12,028, which is the highest number in the nation.

Certain Texas highways have been named some of the most dangerous in the country, and Houston is on another list of the most dangerous cities for drivers in general.

Rhode Island took the No. 1 spot for the most dangerous state for young drivers, with 19.81 percent of driver fatalities being between 16 and 24-years-old. There were 41 young driver deaths out of a total 207 in Rhode Island between 2017 and 2021.

Rounding out the top five most dangerous states for young drivers is Utah (No. 3) with 163 young driver deaths out of a total 860 between the same five year period; California (No. 4) with 1,993 young driver deaths out of 10,578; and Delaware (No. 5) with 68 out of 364 fatalities being young drivers.

Fitch shared his thoughts on the study's findings, calling the trend a "concerning pattern of young road user involvement in fatal road accidents."

"While it is highly unlikely that we will ever eliminate all driver fatalities, it is important that we identify what certain states are doing differently that could be accounting for these varying rates of young driver deaths," Fitch said. "If larger states, such as Texas, achieved similar fatality rates to West Virginia, which ranked bottom, there would have been 805 fewer young driver deaths in the state over the same five-year period, which is quite a staggering statistic."

The top 10 most dangerous states for young drivers are:

No. 1 – Rhode Island
No. 2 – Texas
No. 3 – Utah
No. 4 – California
No. 5 – Delaware
No. 6 – Nebraska
No. 7 – Massachusetts
No. 8 – Idaho
No. 9 – Montana
No. 10 – Maryland

The bottom five states on the list, making them the safest for young drivers, are Minnesota (No. 46), Alaska (No. 47), Maine (No. 48), Oregon (No. 49), and West Virginia (No. 50). The young driver fatality rates are all under 13.6 percent, with West Virginia's at 12.36 percent.

texas reports highways

festive cities

Houston dazzles among top 10 most festive cities in America for 2025

River Oaks Christmas Lights in Houston TX/Facebook

The River Oaks Christmas Lights are a fun place to take families.

Houston has once again landed a coveted spot on Thumbtack's annual ranking of the most festive American cities in 2025.

Home services platform Thumbtack analyzed holiday light installation requests from customers from October 2024 to 2025 to determine the most festive U.S. cities. Rankings were based on the "relative frequency" of requests after being adjusted for the population of each state and metro area.

Houston ranked as the 6th most festive U.S. city this year, dropping two spots from its former No. 4 rank in 2024.

Locals searching for inspiration for their homes can find it at the many twinkly displays illuminating Houston for the holidays, from the iconic City Lights to the rustic Dewberry Farm light show. And the holiday season is beginning earlier with every passing year, according to Thumbtack.

"Homeowners are layering their look from October through December, swapping out pumpkins for pine boughs and adding sparkle as the season unfolds," the report said.

Other festive holiday events happening around Houston include cheery pop-up bars, holiday markets, and much more. CultureMap readers can also keep up with all of Houston's holiday happenings in our special editorial series.

Other big Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio also all landed top-10 spots in the report, proving the Lone Star State is much more festive than the rest of the country.

"From Texas to Florida, the South is setting the standard for holiday spirit, and in true Texas fashion, bigger is definitely brighter," the report said. "Mild winters and a strong sense of community keep the Lone Star State shining at the top."

Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – Sacramento, California
No. 6 – Houston, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 10 – Atlanta, Georgia

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