Dallas saw an average of nearly 14 fatal motor vehicle crashes annually per every 100,000 residents between 2014 and 2023, according to a recent analysis.
In a joint study released last week, Drafahl Law Firm, a St. Louis-based personal injury firm, and 1Point21, a San Diego-based marketing agency, found that the fatal crash rate was the highest among large American cities.
The grim data point also backs up a long-held perception that driving around Dallas is generally unpleasant — both because of the area’s bad roads, high traffic congestion, and a large contingent of motorists known for aggressive driving.
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At the time, a report from Forbes Advisor concluded that Dallas was tied with Atlanta as the American city where “you’re most likely to get into a car accident,” with Dallas drivers 46% more likely to be involved in a wreck than drivers in other parts of the country.
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A 2024 report from Forbes placed Dallas 6th on its “worst drivers” list, and Fort Worth in 9th place.
The bad driving is also hurting Texans’ pocketbooks. In recent years, auto insurance premiums in Texas have soared, with one recent analysis finding that Texans are now paying an average annual rate of $2,346 ― 18th highest among all states. Local collision rates, along with other factors, help to determine insurance pricing.
To come up with its recent crash rate report, Drafahl Law Firm and 1Point21 assessed FARS, or Fatality Analysis Reporting System, data available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for American cities with at least 125,000 residents for 2014 to 2023.
Among all American cities included in the analysis, Memphis came in as the deadliest for drivers, with around 24 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents. The top of the overall list was dominated in the South: Jackson, Miss., Baton Rouge, La., Birmingham, Ala. and Macon, Ga. all rounded out the top five.
But among the country’s biggest cities — those with at least one million residents in 2023 — the annual fatal crash rate of 13.9 that the study found for Dallas was the highest.
Phoenix was a close second, followed by San Antonio and Houston, which both recorded a fatal crash rate of 10.6. Los Angeles was next with a rate of 7.4. New York — perhaps unsurprisingly, because of its heavy reliance on mass transit — had a notably lower rate, with an average 2.6 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents annually.
Among all cities, Dallas’ rate came in at 22nd worst, and was roughly the same as those the study found for Jacksonville, Fla., Mobile, Ala. and New Orleans.
Dallas’ latest fatal car crash appears to have occurred Sunday evening, when a 31-year-old man driving a pickup ran a red light and crashed into a sedan, injuring three of the sedan’s passengers and killing one, according to Dallas police.
So far in 2026, the city has counted four fatal crashes, according to the Vision Zero Dallas tracking tool. Last year, the city recorded 165 fatal crashes, down from over 200 the previous several years.
A representative for 1Point21 did not immediately respond on Monday to a request for comment on the study.