TxDOT data shows that student-aged crashes increase starting in August (2024)

College students will soon return to Bryan-College Station as classes begin Aug. 19, meaning car crashes involving college-aged individuals will likely increase as well until December.

In 2023, the Brazos Valley experienced 3,396 crashes overall and around 782 of those involved at least one driver between the ages of 18 to 22 in Bryan-College Station. During months where students are back in town, mainly the fall and spring, the number of crashes can more than double. In June 2023, the number of College Station car crashes with at least one student-aged driver was 34 while in September 2023, there were 104.

October 2022 had the highest number of car crashes where at least one driver was aged between 18 to 22 with 120 crashes happening in College Station and 56 in Bryan. While there may be an increase in traffic accidents in the upcoming months when students come back, the total number of crashes involving drivers 18 to 22 years old is trending slightly lower this year than the first half of 2023.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), a reportable motor vehicle traffic crash is defined as: “Any crash involving a motor vehicle in transport that occurs or originates on a traffic way, results in injury to or death of any person, or damage to the property of any one person to the apparent extent of $1,000.”

Bobby Colwell, public information officer for TxDOT’s Bryan District, said that Texas A&M University brings in a wide variety of students and many of them may not have experience driving around larger cities.

“We all think that these students are maybe from big areas such as Houston and San Antonio, but sometimes they’re from a small town that only has one traffic light and this might be the first time they’ve ever been to someplace [like Bryan and College Station],” he said. “That’s something that we need to think about. We all need to be our brother’s keeper out there.”

Colwell said that speed is the number one contributing factor in traffic crashes in Texas. Combined with inexperienced drivers, like college students, it can lead to completely preventable traffic accidents.

“In College Station, there were 485 traffic crashes that involved speeding and it resulted in four fatalities,” he said. “We’re trying to tell folks to slow down, especially the younger age group under 25 because that’s where we’re seeing it the most.”

According to TxDOT, of the 163,516 drivers in Texas who were involved in crashes in 2023 where speed was a contributing factor, 47,191 (28.9%) were under the age of 25. In Bryan, there were 481 traffic crashes that involved speeding with one fatality and 10 serious injuries overall.

Alongside speeding, another factor that contributes to the high amount of student-related driving accidents is distracted driving, Colwell said.

“We have more and more gadgets in our vehicles these days, and sometimes that can be good, and sometimes that cannot be good,” he said. “Our best recommendation is just put the phone away. That call or text can wait until you get to where you need to go.”

Colwell said that TxDOT, in collaboration with statewide law enforcement, hopes to work on its anti-speeding campaign called “Be Safe. Drive Smart” and lower the amount of accidents related to speeding.

“We have some tips for folks that will be coming into the area to try and keep yourself and others safe,” he said. “One is to match your speed to the road conditions, such as bad weather. Two is to slow down and allow for more distance to stop when the traffic is heavy or roads are slick. Three is to watch for road signs alerting you to reduced speed limits ahead.”

While student-related traffic accidents may increase in both Bryan and College Station starting in late August and early September, December is when the total decreases as students head back home for the winter break. In College Station, for 2023, there were 44 college-aged level accidents, the third lowest month of the year. September and October tied for the most number of accidents at 104 each.

Statewide, for 2023, there was a 0.4% decrease in crashes involving speed from the previous year and a 1.6% decrease in fatalities compared to 2022. Colwell said there is hope that TxDOT and others can continue to lower speed-related crashes and accidents.

“Our goal at TxDOT is safety, and that’s getting you from Point A to Point B as safely as possible,” he said. “The three things I can tell people is to buckle up, which you should do for everyone on the road, put down the phone and, most importantly, slow down.”