94 fatal crashes in Austin leave 98 dead in 2025: report

AUSTIN, Texas – It was a busy year on the Austin roadways which led to dozens of fatal crashes, but the total number of fatalities was about the same in 2025 compared to 2024.

The main factor in a lot of these crashes was speed, so experts are warning drivers to slow down.

By the numbers:

The city of Austin recorded 94 fatal crashes in 2025.

“Typically, these fatal crashes, these serious injury crashes happen on higher speed roadways, your I-35s, your us-183s, but also places like South Congress and East MLK,” said Joel Meyer, Transportation Safety officer with Austin Transportation & Public Works.

Those crashes resulted in 98 fatalities and left nearly 300 people seriously injured, which is down compared to over 400 injuries the year before.

At the same time last year, the city reported 93 fatal crashes and 100 deaths.

“They are down compared with maybe the last five or six years, especially during the pandemic. We saw a pretty big uptick in traffic fatalities as more people were speeding on the roadways and engaging in more dangerous driving behaviors,” said Meyer.

Dig deeper:

The city’s Vision Zero program aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries.

The latest data shows most fatal crashes involved motorists, followed by pedestrians and motorcyclists, with the lowest fatal crashes reported by bikes or e-scooters.

“We are seeing a decrease in pedestrian fatalities. Pedestrians are our most vulnerable user group out there on the roadways. And really over the last decade or so, we’ve seen an increase in pedestrian fatalities locally and nationally. However, this year we are trending lower,” said Meyer.

But not all trends moved in the right direction.

“We did see a slight uptick in motorcyclist fatalities. This can fluctuate year to year, but that group in particular is pretty vulnerable out on the roadways with not a lot of protection around them,” said Meyer.

Big picture view:

AAA says holiday travel continues to increase year after year in Texas.

“We’ve certainly seen improvement in some areas when it comes to traffic safety, but you know we still continue to see these top contributing factors of speeding, distractions and impairment leading to fatal crashes across the state of Texas,” said Daniel Armbruster of AAA Texas.                                                                                             

What you can do:

Experts say everyone has to play a role in bringing those numbers down.

“It takes a community to make our roadways safer. So, you know, if you’re a driver, be responsible. But if you are a designated driver or party host also do the right thing. Speak up. If you see something that’s not right. It protects everyone,” said Armbruster.

If you plan to drink, make sure to find a ride-share or make sure you have a designated driver.