New Report Shines Light On The Safety Of Oklahoma Roads

If time is money, a new report on how roads are costing Oklahoma drivers back that theory.  

The report from TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, found the average driver in the Oklahoma City area is spending around $842 annually on fuel due to traffic congestion.

The report also said the state’s bad roads cost Oklahoma drivers almost $400 dollars a year in vehicle maintenance.

According to the report more than half – 56 percent -- of two-lane, state-maintained highways in Oklahoma have deficient shoulders.

These figures are something local leaders and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation are working on, but according to the report, the improvement projects planned by ODOT will only allow the agency to address 15% of pavement needs through 2028.  

Right now, Triple-A Oklahoma spokesperson Leslie Gamble suggests looking for alternate routes.  

"There may be a different route that you want to consider,” Gamble said. “You know, check out different routes to minimize that wear and tear."

The report said that Oklahoma has the sixth highest traffic fatality rate nationally. Between 2015 to 2019, 3,276 people were killed in traffic crashes statewide.

If you are driving on rural roads, you need to be extra cautious.

"It was shocking to me to see that, on our rural roads, the fatality rate there is more than double that of all other roads," Gamble said.