Texas roads were connected to more fatal crashes than any other state’s roads between 2020 and 2024, according to a new nationwide study we reviewed from George Salinas Injury Lawyers. The report analyzed condition-related fatalities, meaning deaths tied to work zones, poor surface conditions, or road defects, across 49 states, and Texas topped the list with 3,117 total condition-related deaths in that five-year span.
As a personal injury law firm based in San Antonio, we see the human cost behind numbers like these every day. When we represent someone hurt in a car accident or truck accident on I-10, I-35, or I-20, a defective or poorly maintained road is often part of the story, not just driver error. This report gives us hard data to back up what we’ve long observed in our cases: Texas has a road safety problem that goes beyond distracted or reckless driving.
The Study: How Bad Roads Are Measured State by State
To rank the states, researchers looked at two main factors:
- Condition-related fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. This measurement adjusts for how much driving actually happens in each state, so a small state with fewer total miles driven isn’t unfairly compared to a large state like Texas.
- Share of roads in poor condition. This reflects the percentage of a state’s total road network rated as being in poor physical condition.
Condition-related fatalities were broken into three categories: work zone fatalities, poor surface condition fatalities, and road-defect fatalities. Combined, these make up each state’s “total condition-related fatalities” figure. The report also identifies the deadliest specific roads within each state based on raw fatality counts.
Here’s a look at the top states where bad roads result in most fatalities.
Texas Leads the Nation in Raw Fatality Numbers
Here’s where Texas stands out. While West Virginia recorded the highest rate of condition-related fatalities relative to vehicle miles traveled, Texas recorded the highest total number of these deaths of any state studied, by a wide margin.
Over the five-year period, Texas recorded:
- 1,008 work zone fatalities, nearly nine times more than the next-highest state in our comparison
- 2,152 poor surface condition fatalities, almost double Michigan’s 1,100
- 171 road-defect fatalities
- 3,117 total condition-related fatalities
- 15.30% of Texas roads rated in poor condition
According to the report, the deadliest Texas highways for condition-related crashes are I-10 (122 fatalities), I-35 (110 fatalities), and I-20 (83 fatalities). For anyone who drives through San Antonio regularly, that list probably isn’t surprising. I-10 and I-35 both run directly through our city, carrying heavy commercial and commuter traffic every day, and both are corridors where we regularly see serious motorcycle accidents and catastrophic injury claims tied to construction zones and pavement hazards.
How Texas Compares to Other States
| State | Work Zone Fatalities (2020–2024) | Poor Surface Condition Fatalities (2020–2024) | Road-Defect Fatalities (2020–2024) | Total Condition-Related Fatalities (2020–2024) | % Roads in Poor Condition | Deadliest Roads for Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,008 | 2,152 | 171 | 3,117 | 15.30% | I-10 (122), I-35 (110), I-20 (83) |
| New York | 35 | 963 | 16 | 1,000 | 24.3% | SR-5 (21), I-90 (18), I-87 (16) |
| Michigan | 111 | 1,100 | 16 | 1,207 | 12.9% | I-94 (46), I-75 (35), I-96 (31) |
| Washington | 33 | 829 | 2 | 856 | 22.1% | I-5 (78), I-90 (24), SR-99 (24) |
| South Carolina | 56 | 748 | 2 | 799 | 9.6% | I-26 (33), I-85 (27), US-17 (25) |
| Oregon | 45 | 636 | 8 | 676 | 6.1% | I-5 (33), US-97 (33), US-26 (31) |
| Mississippi | 20 | 517 | 2 | 535 | 14.0% | I-59 (24), I-55 (22), US-49 (22) |
| West Virginia | 27 | 284 | 4 | 311 | 13.2% | I-64 (13), I-79 (13), SR-16 (13) |
| Maine | 12 | 183 | 7 | 194 | 7.8% | I-95 (17), US-1 (10), SR-9 (8) |
| Montana | 12 | 201 | 39 | 233 | 5.6% | I-90 (35), US-93 (25), US-2 (10) |
| Hawaii | 8 | 81 | 2 | 89 | 26.5% | SR-11 (11), SR-83 (6), SR-93 (4) |
You can find the full report findings by following this link.
While Hawaii (26.5%) and New York (24.3%) have a higher percentage of roads rated in poor condition, and West Virginia has the highest fatality rate relative to miles driven, no state comes close to Texas’s total volume of condition-related deaths. Texas’s sheer size, road mileage, and traffic volume all play a role, but so does the scale of construction and work zone activity across the state, which alone accounted for over 1,000 deaths in five years.
Why This Matters for Drivers in San Antonio
San Antonio sits at the intersection of two of the very highways named in this report as among the deadliest in Texas: I-10 and I-35. Both are major freight and commuter corridors, which means heavier traffic, more construction work zones, and more wear on the pavement itself. When a road surface is cracked, potholed, poorly marked, or missing guardrails in a work zone, it doesn’t just increase the odds of a crash. It can also become a critical piece of evidence in a personal injury claim.
In our experience handling car accident cases across San Antonio and the surrounding areas, we’ve found that road condition issues are frequently overlooked in the initial investigation. Insurance adjusters are quick to point to driver error, but a defective road, an unmarked work zone, or a state or municipal agency’s failure to maintain a known hazard can shift liability, or add another party to a claim entirely. This is true even in pedestrian accidents, where poor lighting, missing crosswalk markings, or an unsafe work zone can put people on foot directly in harm’s way.
When a condition-related crash proves fatal, families are often left navigating a wrongful death claim while also trying to understand why the road itself failed to keep their loved one safe. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash on I-10, I-35, I-20, or any other Texas roadway, it’s worth asking whether road conditions played a role. That’s a question we help our clients answer every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the most road fatalities linked to poor conditions?
Texas recorded the most condition-related fatalities in raw numbers among the states studied, with 3,117 total deaths from work zones, poor surface conditions, and road defects between 2020 and 2024.
Which Texas highways are the most dangerous for condition-related crashes?
According to the report, I-10 (122 fatalities), I-35 (110 fatalities), and I-20 (83 fatalities) are the deadliest Texas roads for condition-related crashes.
What percentage of Texas roads are in poor condition?
The report found that 15.30% of Texas roads are rated in poor condition.
Can a bad road be a factor in a Texas personal injury claim?
Yes. If a poorly maintained road, an unsafe work zone, or a road defect contributed to a car accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident, that can be relevant to establishing liability. This may involve the state, a municipality, or a construction contractor in addition to another driver.
What should I do if I was in a crash on a Texas highway with known road issues?
Document the road conditions if you’re able to safely do so, seek medical attention, and consult a personal injury attorney who can investigate whether road maintenance or work zone safety played a role in your crash.
If you’ve been injured in a crash on I-10, I-35, or any San Antonio-area roadway, we’re here to help you understand your options. Contact our office for a free consultation.