Deadly start to new year on Austin area roads

2016 is already off to a deadly start. Five people have been killed so far in traffic related crashes in the Austin metro area. Now city and state leaders are doing what they can to address the problem.

Leaders say the number of people killed on and along city roads in 2015 is unacceptable. 102 people were killed in traffic related crashes last year in Austin. That’s the highest number of deaths since the city started keeping track 30 years ago.

According to numbers from APD, drunk pedestrians and drunk drivers accounted for 64 percent of the fatal crashes.

One of the main issues is Austin’s fast growing population. City roads aren’t equipped for the amount of people driving or walking along them.

Council members are looking at ways to solve the problem. That includes expanding some roads, increasing enforcement and highlighting the most dangerous intersections in the city.

Officials say the most dangerous intersections in Austin are:

West Slaughter and Manchaca
Lamar and Rundberg
Lamar and Parmer
183 Service Road and Cameron
Southbound I-35 Service Road at MLK