MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – After a deadly crash on Interstate 45 in the Woodlands area Monday morning, KPRC 2 looked into the dangers of the highway over the years.
We found the I-45 corridor between Dallas and Galveston has consistently been one of the deadliest roads in America.
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According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 97 fatal crashes on I-45 in 2023, with 105 people losing their lives.
“It’s so scary. I’ve never seen something like that before here,” said Houston driver Arion Bishop, who said she is originally from New Orleans.
In 2021, the car insurance company called Budget Direct named I-45 the deadliest road in the U.S. with an average of 56.5 accidents happening at every 100 miles.
TXDOT statistics also reveal more than 40 percent of all crashes in the state happen in Harris County.
“Our drivers need to be more considerate of others,” said Houston driver Jessie Valerie.
In 2022, there were 107 fatal crashes on I-45 and in 2021, that number was 97, according to TXDOT.
Martha Garcia lives in Spring and said she takes I-45 frequently to get to Houston. She said she sees reckless drivers on a daily basis.
“Drivers need to pay attention,” said Garcia. “We have to be careful because sometimes we bring children in our cars.”
Texas Department of Public Safety officials said three people were killed in the crash on I-45 near the Rayford exit. The crash was between a pickup truck and a van.
Officials said the van carrying seven people had a flat tire and was slow rolling in the HOV lane, when the pickup truck slammed into it.
Two men and one woman inside the van were killed. The four other people inside the van, including a child, were taken to the hospital.
The driver of the pickup truck was also taken to the hospital.