While traffic deaths climb across Tarrant County, Arlington is quietly pulling off something close to a minor miracle: deadly crashes inside city limits are trending down. City officials credit a combination of stepped-up enforcement, an education-first Safe Streets plan, and new traffic-management tools. In a city packed with major venues and heavy visitor traffic, the shift matters for thousands of local commuters and the millions who stream in every year.
As of Tuesday, Arlington had recorded 29 traffic-related deaths in 2025, down from 37 in 2024 and well below the 52 deaths the city recorded in 2023. Over the same period, Tarrant County has seen roughly 160 roadway deaths this year, and the sheriff’s office projects the year-end total could land in the mid-200s. In Arlington, police report a 25% increase in traffic stops and a 31% rise in citations this year, steps officials say are aimed at slowing down dangerous drivers, according to the Fort Worth Report.
City police insist the push is tactical, not a ticket-writing spree. Lt. Brian Jones, commander of the Arlington Police traffic division, said that high speed is a common factor in fatal crashes and that officers are out to change behavior, not pad citation stats. “Anytime you increase enforcement you’re going to increase visibility out there,” Jones said, noting that patrols have zeroed in on Interstate 20, I-30, and Cooper Street, per the Fort Worth Report.
Safe Streets Plan, Education, And Tech
The city council adopted the Safe Streets Arlington action plan in December 2024 to steer engineering, enforcement, and education efforts across town. The plan pairs traditional roadway fixes with community outreach and a public implementation dashboard, according to the City of Arlington. “We’re focusing on the education, focusing really on internal practices,” Ann Foss, the city’s transportation planning manager, added that the strategy includes roughly 40 action items that range from road redesigns to new traffic-management tools, per the Fort Worth Report.
Regional Partners And Funding
Arlington is also leaning on regional partners to expand infrastructure work and chase federal grants for pedestrian and roadway upgrades. The North Central Texas Council of Governments promotes a regionwide Roadway Safety Plan and a Toward Zero Deaths approach that aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2050, offering cities technical support and grant opportunities. City staff say that a mix of targeted enforcement, education programs, and engineering changes is central to making the recent drop in deaths more than a one-year blip…