ODESSA, Texas — Since Nov. 7, 2000, at least one person has died on Texas roadways every single day. On Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) launched the "End the Streak" campaign.
The deadly streak across the state almost ceased during January of this year.
"I think we've all known someone. We've had friends, family members or friends of friends that that have suffered loss because of a traffic fatality," Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said. "I think that happens way too regularly and we need to end the streak. We need to have our citizens know that they can when they leave in the morning, they're going to be safe, driving to work and when they leave work at night, they're going to be safe driving home."
However, the goal to end the streak, can't be done alone.
Both organizations emphasized the significance of community involvement and partnerships with law enforcement. The collaborative efforts include the individual adherence to safe driving practices, including abiding by the Move Over Law, driving the speed limit, wearing your seatbelt, avoiding distractions such as cell phone use and defensive driving.
A report revealed crashes in Texas are the most severe in the Permian Basin, according to a partnership between the Permian Road Safety Coalition and the Texas Transportation Institute.
"We don't want West Texas to be known for the deadly roads. That's what I hear when I go throughout the state, whether it's with TxDOT, a safety conference in Austin, the deadly roads in the Permian Basin always have been brought up, and we want that to stop, but not just in Permian Basin, but statewide," said Sergeant Steven Blanco with Texas DPS. "And that's where we need the community's help."
In 2023, the Odessa District reached an all time low of 1.98 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled since 2010, according to Eric Lykins, the district engineer for TxDOT's Odessa District.
So far this year, 115 deaths on roadways in the Odessa District have been reported. 115 barrels spaced 115 feet apart along a portion of Interstate 20. Each have yellow ribbons tied to them, and they represent the 115 lives who have been lost on the roadways of the Odessa District.
"Seat belts are a big issue, I ask the energy sector to please wear the seat belts so many times," Blanco said. "They do not where their seat belts when they're on lease roads and they're out there opening cattle guards, checking wells, checking meters, loading tools, but then they get back up on the black top as they say and they drive down to the next lease. And in that six to seven mile stretch between leases is where the crash occurs, and that's when they don't have their seat belt on [...] and we have to tell their loved one that they were ejected from the vehicle."