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BASTROP COUNTY
BASTROP — A statewide campaign to curb speed-related crashes through increased enforcement made a recent stop at the Bastrop Bucee’s.
The Texas Department of Transportation’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” interactive event coincided with a push from law enforcement agencies across the state, including Bastrop County. Departments have increased patrol count and citations issued to drivers who exceed the speed limit.
“Speeding is ultimately a choice drivers make behind the wheel,” said TxDOT Public Information Officer Mariah Van. “Drivers may feel the risk isn’t that high, especially when they’re in a hurry — speeding doesn’t just affect the driver, it puts everyone on the road at greater risk.”
According to TxDOT, speeding contributed to more than 150,000 crashes statewide in 2025, resulting in 1,247 deaths and 5,652 serious injuries.
Despite the grim toll, TxDOT data shows improvement year over year. Speed-related crashes fell 5% in 2025 to 150,129, down from 158,506 in 2024, while speed-related fatalities dropped 15% over the same period.
“Our goal is zero deaths on our roadways,” Van said. “To get there, we need to encourage drivers to make safer choices. For some drivers, the threat of a speeding ticket is what it takes to get them to slow down.”
The campaign is part of TxDOT’s broader “Drive like a Texan: Kind. Courteous. Safe.” initiative, which promotes safe driving habits and mutual awareness on the road.
“Drive like a Texan is about taking pride in looking out for one another on the road,” Van said. “Putting that message into practice means giving other drivers space, obeying traffic laws, driving a safe speed, staying focused behind the wheel and making decisions that help protect everyone.”
With summer travel underway, Van urged drivers to plan ahead.
“Give yourselves plenty of time to reach your destination and always remember that arriving a few minutes later is better than risking a crash,” she said.
