Motorcycle, Pedestrian and DUI Deaths in Texas, 2025

TxDOT's crash facts for calendar year 2025, based on crash reports processed as of April 7, 2026, break down Texas traffic deaths by who was killed and why. Four numbers matter most for the cases families bring to a lawyer: motorcyclists, pedestrians, cyclists, and drunk driving.

Motorcyclists. TxDOT reports that 559 motorcyclists, operators and passengers, were killed in 2025, and that 31 percent of them were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash. Texas's motorcycle helmet law, Transportation Code section 661.003, requires a helmet with an exception for riders 21 or older who completed an approved safety course or have health insurance covering crash injuries. In an injury claim, not wearing a helmet does not automatically bar recovery, though insurers often argue it made the injuries worse, so the medical evidence about how the injury happened matters.

Pedestrians. Pedestrian deaths totaled 695 in 2025, a 10.09 percent decrease from 2024. Pedestrian claims often turn on the crosswalk, the signal, lighting, and the driver's speed and attention, and insurers frequently argue that the pedestrian shared fault. Under proportionate responsibility, an injured pedestrian's recovery is reduced by any share of fault and barred only if that share is more than 50 percent.

Cyclists. TxDOT reports 91 pedalcyclist deaths in 2025, a 13.75 percent increase from 2024. Bicycle cases share many of the same evidence questions as pedestrian cases, plus the condition of the bike lane or shoulder and the passing distance. Photos and any nearby video should be preserved quickly.

Drunk driving. In 2025, 906 people were killed in crashes where a driver was under the influence of alcohol, 24.04 percent of all traffic deaths. TxDOT reports that more alcohol-involved crashes happened between 2:00 and 2:59 a.m. than in any other hour, and more on Saturday than any other day. A drunk driving crash can support a claim for exemplary damages against the driver when the evidence shows gross negligence, and in some cases a dram shop claim against a bar or restaurant that served an obviously intoxicated person.

Distracted driving deaths fell: TxDOT counted 308 people killed in crashes involving distracted driving in 2025, an 18.95 percent decrease from 2024. Distraction is often hard to prove without phone records or video, which is why those records should be requested early.

Coverage questions come up in all four groups. Many riders, walkers, and cyclists are hit by drivers with only the state minimum coverage, or none at all. Texas requires every auto insurer to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which applies unless it was rejected in writing, and depending on the policy, that coverage may protect you even when you were not in your own car. Personal Injury Protection on your own policy pays medical bills and lost income regardless of fault, unless you rejected it in writing.

Whatever kind of crash it was, the first steps are the same: get medical care, keep the crash report number, photograph the scene and injuries, and avoid giving a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer before talking to a lawyer. Owsley Law Firm reviews these cases free and answers calls 24/7. No fee unless we win.