The latest crash on Ledbetter Drive that left six children injured in Dallas once again shines a light on Loop 12 and three major issues that continue to put lives at risk on that stretch of road. NBC 5 Investigates senior reporter Scott Friedman explains what’s being done to address the dangers.
Dallas police say a weekend crash that left six children injured was caused by a speeding driver who had been drinking and ran a red light at an intersection along Loop 12/Ledbetter Boulevard. a street that continues to be the most dangerous in Dallas.
An ongoing NBC 5 investigation, ‘Driven to Death,’ has revealed crash data from the Texas Department of Transportation showed at least 15 people have died in crashes on Loop 12 during the first nine months of 2024.
New data reviewed by NBC 5 Investigates also showed Loop 12 leads the city in fatal crashes involving alcohol or drugs, with 63 deaths in crashes involving a driver under the influence of drugs or alcohol since 2019.
In the wake of NBC 5’s reporting, The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has pledged to lead major efforts to transform Loop 12 into a safer, slower street using both new roadway engineering and heightened police enforcement.
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The Loop is a state highway and a Dallas city street, so implementing safety changes requires coordination between multiple entities.
"I think it is an emergency. And I think it's being dealt [with] that way," Michael Morris, the transportation director for the NCTCOG, told NBC 5 in an interview that aired earlier this month.
NBC Investigates is learning more about plans to involve the community in the process of re-imaging safety on Loop 12. The staff of State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, told NBC 5 Investigates he will hold a town hall meeting to update progress on the efforts on Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at 3030 Stag Road in Dallas.
West called the first town hall meeting to discuss the matter earlier this year after NBC 5 Investigates reported a startling number of deaths on Loop 12, including a location where six pedestrians have been killed in 17 months.
“Obviously something must be done. And we can't just study it. We've got to get something done about it,” said West in February.
Last month, the Dallas City Council voted to lower the speed limit on portions of Loop 12.
Council members described it as a first step while acknowledging that more enforcement and road design changes may be needed to address other threats, such as impaired driving and excessive speeds.
