Fatal Car Crashes and Fatalities Increase in Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties
By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015
The tragic death of Eagle Passan and former Eagle Pass Independent School District Transportation Director Hector M. Rodriguez on Saturday, September 26, 2015 on U.S. Highway 277 in Maverick County caused the Eagle Pass Business Journal to research the total number of Fatal Car Crashes and Fatalities in the Tri-County Area of Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties during 2003 through 2014.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal found that the number of Fatal Car Crashes (FCC) and Fatalities (F) have increased since the onset of oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford Shale Region.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal reviewed the Texas Department of Transportation CR3 crash reports conducted for the past eight years (2003-2014) in Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties.
During 2014, Dimmit County reported 11 fatal car crashes resulting in 13 fatalities while Maverick County reported 8 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities and Zavala County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities, totaling 23 fatal car crashes with 24 fatalities for the three counties.
TXDOT reports show that in 2013 there were a total of 16 fatal car crashes with 18 fatalities between Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties. Dimmit County reported 8 fatal car crashes with 10 fatalities, Maverick County had 5 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 3 fatal car crashes with 3 fatalities.
During 2012, TXDOT reports there were 17 fatal car crashes resulting in 21 fatalities between the three counties. Dimmit County reported 8 fatal car crashes with 11 fatalities, Maverick County had 6 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 3 fatal car crashes with 3 fatalities.
In 2011, TXDOT reported 11 fatal car crashes with 16 fatalities between the three counties. Dimmit County had 4 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities, Maverick County has 3 fatal car crashes with 3 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 8 fatalities.
During 2010, TXDOT reports only 3 fatal car crashes resulting in 3 fatalities for the three counties. Maverick County had 1 fatal car crash with 1 fatality, Dimmit County reported 1 fatal car crash with 1 fatality, and Zavala County reported 1 fatal car crashe with 1 fatality.
In 2009, TXDOT reported 10 fatal car crashes with 11 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County reported 5 fatal car crashes with 5 deaths, Maverick County had 2 fatal car crashes with 2 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 3 fatal car crashes with 4 fatalities.
During 2008, TXDOT reported 9 fatal car crashes resulting in 12 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County reported 1 fatal car crash with 1 fatality, Maverick County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities, and Zavala County had 4 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities.
In 2007, TXDOT reported 12 fatal car crashes with 15 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 4 fatalities, Maverick County had 4 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities, and Zavala County had 4 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities.
During 2006, TXDOT reports 10 fatal car crashes resulting in 17 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County only had 1 fatal car crash with 1 fatality, Maverick County reported 5 fatal car crashes with 7 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 9 fatalities.
In 2005, TXDOT reported 6 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County reported 2 fatal car crashes and 2 fatalities, Maverick County had 2 fatal car crashes with fatalities, and Zavala County reported 2 fatal car crashes with 2 fatalities.
During 2004, TXDOT reports 9 fatal car crashes resulting in 10 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County reported 2 fatal car crashes with 2 fatalities, Maverick County had 2 fatal car crashes with 2 fatalities, and Zavala County reported 5 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities.
In 2003, TXDOT reported 13 fatal car crashes with 16 fatalities for the three counties. Dimmit County had 5 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities, Maverick County reported 4 fatal car crashes with 6 fatalities, and Zavala County had 4 fatal car crashes with 5 fatalities.
In total, there have been 168 fatalities between the three counties from 2003 to 2014. The Tri-County region reported 76 vehicle accident deaths from 2003 to 2008 and since 2009 to 2014 it reported 92 vehicle accident fatalities, an increase of 16 more fatalities or 7% in the past 5 years compared to 2003 through 2008.
During 2003-2014, Dimmit County has had the most vehicle accident deaths of the three counties with 55 fatalities, Zavala County had 53 fatalities, and Maverick County had 49 fatalities.
Another category which the Eagle Pass Business Journal reviewed during 2003-2014 is the number of total car crashes (TCC) per county, finding generally a steady increase of total car crashes in each county per year except one or two years. During 2003-2014, a total of 8,509 total car crashes were reported by TXDOT in Dimmit, Maverick, and Zavala Counties, including a county breakdown of 1,918 total car crashes in Dimmit County, 6,174 total car crashes in Maverick County, and 417 total car crashes in Zavala County.
During 2014, Dimmit County reported 239 total car crashes (TCC) while Maverick County had 844 (TCC), and Zavala County had 30 (TCC).
During 2013, Dimmit County had 305 total car crashes (TCC) reported while Maverick County reported 707 (TCC), and Zavala County 30 (TCC).
During 2012, Dimmit reported 395 (TCC) while Maverick County had 712 (TCC), and Zavala reported 32 (TCC).
In 2011, there were 236 (TCC) in Dimmit County, Maverick County had 636 (TCC), and Zavala reported 41 (TCC).
In 2010, Dimmit County had 36 (TCC), Maverick County reported 639 (TCC), and Zavala County had 25 (TCC).
In 2009, Dimmit County had 70 (TCC) reported, Maverick County had 507 (TCC), and Zavala County reported 28 (TCC).
In 2008, Dimmit County reported 115 (TCC), Maverick County 453 (TCC), and Zavala County reported 35 (TCC).
In 2007, Dimmit County reported 138 total car crashes (TCC), Maverick County had 378(TCC) while Zavala County reported 32 (TCC).
During 2006, Dimmit County had 273 (TCC), Maverick County reported 447 (TCC), and Zavala County had 36 (TCC).
In 2005, Dimmit County had 170 (TCC), Maverick County 270 (TCC), and Zavala County reported 44 (TCC).
During 2004, Dimmit County reported 89 (TCC) while Maverick County had 237 (TCC) and Zavala County had 47 (TCC).
In 2003, Dimmit County only had 91 (TCC), Maverick County reported 344 (TCC), and Zavala. County reported 37 (TCC).
The TXDOT CR3 reports reviewed were for counties and the numbers reflected in this article are for counties and don’t include statistics for cities and towns.
