Abstract

Texas has the highest number of flood fatalities and vehicle-related flood fatalities in the United States. This study provides a detailed analysis of vehicle-related flood fatalities in Texas from 1959 to 2019. The data was compiled from the Storm Data publication maintained by the National Weather Service and includes demographics of the victims, dates, flood types, roadway types, and fatality location. There were 570 vehicle-related flood fatalities during the study period, with almost all fatal accidents resulting in one fatality. These fatalities represent 58% of total flood fatalities. The spatial analysis reveals that most counties with high vehicle-related flood fatalities are clustered in Flash Flood Alley. These counties accounted for over 80% of the fatalities. The annual distribution of these fatalities follows a statistically significant decreasing trend. Monthly distribution of vehicle-related fatalities follows that of rainfall in the Flash Flood Alley, with flash floods causing 61% of all vehicle-related flood fatalities. Night was the time of the day when the most vehicle-related deaths occurred. Males accounted for 63% of the fatalities and the age group of 20–29 was the most affected. The study discusses how the results can be used to increase awareness of flood hazards, used as input into state and regional disaster mitigation plans, and help tailor education and outreach programs.

Highlights

  • Several natural disasters such as lightning, hurricanes, floods, and heat waves cause huge human and economic losses every year across the globe

  • Occurred in 2017, while the highest number of vehicle-related fatalities, 32, occurred in 2007 (Figure 2). Both total and vehicle-related flood fatalities are significantly correlated with rainfall in Texas on the Annual fluctuations were high for both total flood fatalities and vehicle-related flood fatalities

  • Temporal spatial patterns of vehicle-related floodfrom fatalities, the2019 circumstances examined in detail

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Summary

Introduction

Several natural disasters such as lightning, hurricanes, floods, and heat waves cause huge human and economic losses every year across the globe. Jonkman and Kelman [10] reported that males were more vulnerable to floodwaters because they were more likely to be involved in unnecessary high-risk behaviors They reported that vehicle-related flood deaths occurred most frequently when people attempted to drive across flooded bridges, streams, and roads and these deaths occurred among all phases of flood events (i.e., onset, during, and shortly after). Another reason for enhanced runoff in the located on the edge of the Escarpment, is susceptible to flash floods due to the steep slopes, the regionvery is the existence of the highly corridorAnother extending between the major metropolitan thin topsoil, and large areas urbanized of exposed bedrock It includes counties with the fastest population growth rates in Texas (Figureas). The paper discusses factors that may influence the high rate vehicle-related flood fatalities in Texas, compared to other states, and provide information that can help reduce this rate

Data and Methods
Temporal Analysis
Time of the Day
Demographics of the Victims
Flood Types
Fatality Locations
Spatial Analysis
Discussion and Conclusions

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