Texas Department of Transportation is taking very seriously the results of a recent traffic safety audit which shows that while traffic fatalities have declined statewide in the past five years they are still trend far above the national average.

The five year decline in Texas traffic fatalities was about 15 percent, while the decline nationwide was more than 21 percent.

This information has prompted the Texas department of Transportation to resort to scare tactics to convince drivers to slow down and use caution whether they are making a quick trip to the supermarket or heading across the county. Starting this week the Texas Department of Transportation will begin installing 700 illuminated road signs which will display the current number of highway traffic fatalities in the state. The signs will be mounted over highways and along busy thoroughfares across the state.

“As long as we have a single traffic death we have more work to do. We think that displaying the number of people that have died in traffic crashes to date will have a direct impact on driving behavior. We want to make sure that people arrive at their intended destination safely every time,” said said Phil Wilson, TxDOT executive director.

It also seems likely that police are aware of the problem facing state safety officials and will step up their efforts at reminding drivers to use caution when driving anywhere.