Energy Sector Safety Campaign
Be Safe. Drive Smart.
Oil and gas activity brings increased traffic and large trucks sharing the road with passenger vehicles in rural areas and adjacent communities. The Energy Sector Safety Campaign is under the umbrella of “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” and focuses on reminding drivers to be extra cautious when driving through Texas energy zones.
Crash data
In 2022, more than 78,000 traffic crashes occurred in the state’s five major energy production areas resulting in 1,072 deaths, and another 3,495 suffered serious injuries. The leading contributors to those crashes were failure to control speed and driver inattention. Below is a breakdown of crashes per energy region for 2022:
- Barnett Shale: 20,776 traffic crashes resulted in 280 fatalities and 1,036 serious injuries.
- Eagle Ford Shale: 13,711 traffic crashes resulted in 186 fatalities and 590 serious injuries.
- Anadarko Basin: 635 traffic crashes resulted in 4 fatalities and 32 serious injuries.
- Haynesville/Bossier Shale: 17,594 traffic crashes resulted in 208 fatalities and 948 serious injuries.
- Permian Basin: 26,031 traffic crashes resulted in 394 fatalities and 889 serious injuries.
Traffic fatalities in the five energy zones accounted for almost one in four of all roadway deaths in the state.
Safety tips
Energy production areas can present unique road and traffic challenges for motorists, including sharing the road with many large trucks and tankers required for extracting and transporting oil and gas. Drivers should stay alert and watch for other vehicles, especially heavy trucks that have large blind spots, move at slower speeds and require a greater distance to make a full stop. Following these basic safety precautions may help to save a life:
- Follow posted speed limits and adjust your driving to match road conditions. In some situations, the only safe speed may be below the posted speed limit.
- Always buckle up - drivers and all passengers, day and night.
- Stay focused on driving and put your phone away: no talking or texting when behind the wheel.
- Give large trucks plenty of space. Be patient and pass only when it is safe and legal to do so.
- Maintain a safe following distance.
- Obey stop signs and traffic signals.
- Never drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Drivers should also remember the "Move Over, Slow Down" law: Move over a lane or slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching an emergency or law enforcement vehicle, TxDOT vehicle, tow truck or utility vehicle stopped with flashing lights activated on the side of the road.
Social media images and videos
- Behoof You 1080 x 1080
- Cud You Not 1080 x 1080
- You Herd Me 1080 x 1080
- Behoof You
- Cud You Not
- You Herd Me
Print and billboards
- Be Safe. Drive Smart. Logo (English)
- Be Safe. Drive Smart. Logo (Spanish)
- Info card
- Poster
- Billboard – Behoof You
- Billboard – Big Trucks
- Billboard – Cud You Not
- Billboard – Las Vacas Locas
- Billboard – No Leches Tanto
- Printable "I Spy" game
Audio and video PSAs
Note: Please open radio PSA files in a new window to listen.
- Radio PSA (English)
- Radio PSA (Español)
- Energy Cowversation – 30-second (English)
- Energy Cowversation – 30-second (Español)
- Energy Cowversation – 15-second (English)
- Energy Cowversation – 15-second (Español)
- Longhorn TV PSA – 30-second (English)
- Longhorn TV PSA – 30-second (Español)
- Longhorn TV PSA – 15-second (English)
- Longhorn TV PSA – 15-second (Español)