Amarillo, TX - Rural roads in Texas can be dangerous, and more oil and gas operations mean more roadways.
In recent years, more than half of all wrecks in Texas have happened on rural roads - and roads used by oil and gas companies are particularly risky. So now the Texas Department of Transportation Is hoping to reduce the risk through public education.
The "Be Safe. Drive Smart." campaign is aimed at making oil and gas roads in Texas safer by urging drivers to use extra caution on those roads. TxDOT, oil and gas industry representatives, and law enforcement all stress reducing speed and staying off the phone when driving through these areas.
The northeastern Texas panhandle has seen an increase in oil and gas operations, and a corresponding increase in traffic accidents. The Granite Wash Shale Area, for instance, which includes Wheeler, Hemphill, and Roberts Counties, saw a 13 percent rise in crashes from 2011 to 2012.
If you'd like more statistics on wrecks in the state of Texas, follow the links for information provided by the Texas Department of Transportation.
