Texas had more rural roadway fatalities than any other US state in 2022, study shows

Texas leads the nation in rural roadway fatalities, newly-published data shows.

A 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Transportation to Congress reveals the country has a $198 billion backlog of necessary repairs and improvements to rural roads, highways and bridges.

Although "rural America" can be difficult to define, this federal report considered regions outside of urban areas with a population of 2,500 or more to be rural. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 20% of the country's population, or around 66.3 million people, live in rural areas.

A total of 97% of America's land area and most of its two million farms can be found in rural areas.

Earlier this month, national transportation research nonprofit TRIP released startling data on the safety of Texas' rural roads. Here's a breakdown.

Texas had more rural roadway fatalities than any other state

The latest data reveals Texas had the most rural roadway fatalities than any other state by far in 2022. Excluding interstate fatalities, the Lone Star State had 1,486 deaths. California had the next highest number, at 1,030. The two were the only states to exceed 1,000 fatalities.

LIST: Top 10 US states with most rural roadway fatalities, 2022

1. Texas: 1,486

2. California: 1,030

3. North Carolina: 883

4. Florida: 728

5. Georgia: 587

6. South Carolina: 548

7. Indiana: 499

8. Ohio: 482

9. Alabama: 481

10. Tennessee: 459

Texas ranks #11 in rural roadway fatality rates

While the Lone Star State may have had the most rural roadway fatalities total in 2022, it's important to acknowledge it is also the second-most populous state. With roughly 30.5 million residents, only California has more, with nearly 39 million.

In consideration of population differences, TRIP analyzed the rate of roadway fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The report also compared rural roadway fatalities against fatalities on all other roads. Texas ranked 11 among states with the highest rural roadway fatality rates.

LIST: Top 10 US states with highest rural roadway fatality rates

The 2022 rural roadway fatality rate for Texas was 2.52 per 100 million VMT — double the fatality rate on all other roads (1.26). The national average was 2.02 for rural roadways and 1.12 for all other roads.

The following table represents 2022 data for fatality rates per 100 million VMT:

12% of US rural roadways, bridges are in poor condition

The $198 billion backlog in rural road repairs has left many roads and bridges deteriorating. Of the nation's rural roadways, 12% are in poor condition, and one in twelve rural bridges need rehabilitation, repair or replacement.

Just over half (52%) of the major rural roadways in the U.S. were found to be in good condition.

LIST: Top 10 US states with the highest shares of rural pavements in poor condition

Texas fared slightly better regarding rural pavement conditions, ranking 19 among the states. Its share of rural pavements in poor condition matched the national average of 12%.

The top five states with the highest shares reported at least 7% higher than any other state.

1. Rhode Island: 32%

2. New Mexico: 31%

3. Arkansas: 30%

4. Hawaii: 29%

5. Mississippi: 28%

6. Louisiana: 21%

7. Missouri: 21%

8. Connecticut: 20%

9. Washington: 19%

10. Alaska: 19%

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas had most rural road fatalities in the US, report shows