Buckle up.
Texas has the nation’s 10th-highest number of hit-and-run fatalities, a new study shows.
The Lone Star State experienced 10.69 hit-and-run fatalities per million people, a rate 25% higher than the U.S. average of 8.52, according to an analysis by Philadelphia law firm KaplunMarx. For the report, researchers looked at 2022 and 2024 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council.
Texas’ 2024 data is estimated to be 10.43 fatalities, a 2% decrease from its 2022 numbers, according to the study.
While Texas’ numbers are alarming, they’re not as bad as No. 1-ranked Louisiana, which experienced 17.05 hit-and-run fatalities per million people. That’s double the U.S. average. The second- and third-ranked states were New Mexico and Arizona, respectively.
More than 4 million people were involved in hit-and-run accidents from 2018 to 2022, resulting in more than 12,000 fatalities, according to NHTSA data. In 2022, one in 250 licensed U.S. drivers were involved in hit-and-runs.
Ted Kaplun, the principal attorney and founding partner of KaplunMarx, said the high numbers of hit-and-run fatalities are troubling, but he pointed out that the states with low rates serve as an indication that better traffic safety is possible. Motorists should stay alert, avoid distractions and follow ethical road behavior to lower the risk of fatal collisions, he added.
“Every time we get behind the wheel, we have the opportunity to make a positive difference,” Kaplun said in an emailed statement. “Let’s learn from the states with the best records and work collectively to improve road safety across the nation.”
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This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2025.
