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New social media campaign spotlights Texas' deadly roads

18 years after the last time Texas went a full day without a death on its roads, state transportation officials are gearing up to bring new awareness to the issue via social media.

SAN ANTONIO — It’s been nearly two decades since Texas went a day without a fatality on its roads, but a new social media campaign by the Texas Department of Transportation hopes to put an end to the anniversary.

Officials say there’s an average of 3,500 crashes every year on Texas roadways, many of them sending drivers and passengers to the hospital. Since November of 2000, the two leading causes of car crashes have been DWI and distracted driving.

Now, state transportation officials are challenging Texans to use the hashtag #EndTheStreakTX to share their personal stories of losing loved ones in a wreck. The idea behind the effort: Putting real faces on the issue.

“This is an anniversary that we want to beak,” said Laura Lopez, a spokesperson for TxDOT. “We want to...get this message out to the traveling public (and) share stories, so that way more people can focus more on their driving and not with that phone call or not getting behind the wheel after drinking.”

While the campaign has roots in November, TxDOT officials say they hope it’s a message that catches on year-round.

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