Safety campaign launched as Texas ranks No. 1 in nation for worst drivers

Following a recent report by Forbes where Texas was ranked as the top state in the nation for “worst drivers,” the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and AAA Texas launched a statewide “Survive the Drive” auto safety campaign.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following a recent report by Forbes where Texas was ranked as the top state in the nation for “worst drivers,” the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) and AAA Texas launched a statewide “Survive the Drive” auto safety campaign.

“They say everything is bigger in Texas, which unfortunately also includes the rate of auto collisions, distracted and dangerous driving, and fatal car accidents compared to other states nationwide,” campaign organizers said.

The Forbes report centered around the analysis of six metrics that show dangerous driving behavior. The metric included: drunk driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, wrong-way driving, failure to obey traffic signs and signals, and drivers who looked at a phone.

“The statistics for dangerous and distracted driving in Texas are staggering and have only increased in severity since Texans spend more time on the roads post-COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rich Johnson, director of communications and public affairs of ICT.

According to organizers, the goal of the campaign was to educate the public about the importance of driver safety as well as the consequences of distracted driving.

Organizers provided the tips below to help Texans “Survive the Drive”:

• Put your phone out of sight and stay focused on the road.
• Program your GPS before you start driving.
• Don’t rely on backup cameras alone. Go slow and watch for pedestrians and other vehicles.
• Slow down at yellow lights–don’t speed up.
• Obey the speed limit–it's there for a reason.
• Don’t drive buzzed, drugged, or drowsy. Call a friend or rideshare. Your life depends on it.