Route Summary
This route loops around the Red River and turns off at FM 1151 and S Osage St in Lake Tanglewood to take you to Palo Duro Canyon State Park. There are several campgrounds in the park for you to spend the weekend at, or if you’re just visiting, you can explore the park’s Red Canyon. This route is excellent for taking in the beautiful canyons of the Texas Panhandle when you’re not navigating the route’s many curves and twists.
This route had fatal and incapacitating crashes between 2010 – 2022. In Texas, drivers are not assigned “at fault” in a crash, but law enforcement can assign ‘factors or conditions’ that contributed or may have contributed to a crash. Multiple ‘crash factors and conditions’ can be assigned to one, some, or all vehicles involved in a crash.
The following tables represent data extracted from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System (TxDOT’s CRIS).
| Safety (2010-2022) | |
|---|---|
| Crashes | |
| Fatalities | |
| Serious Injuries | |
| Top Weather Crash Condition | |
| Top Lighting Crash Condition | |
| Top Road Crash Condition | |
Crash Narrative Summary
The following list is a summary of the crash events and conditions that have been described by officers investigating crashes along this route. The investigating officer provides his/her opinion of how the crash happened and will emphasize or explain, as necessary, any pertinent facts that are not fully explained elsewhere on the crash report. This section is meant to supplement the above data tables by providing further insight and “clues” into what factors and conditions contributed or may have contributed to crashes along this route.
- 50% of motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet. Helmets have consistently proven to significantly reduce the severity of head injuries in the event of a crash. Contrary to some beliefs, helmets do not cause neck injuries
- 90% of crashes were single vehicle crashes. Contrary to popular belief, most severe motorcycle crashes do not occur in a collision with another vehicle at an intersection. A rider is more likely to be involved in a single motorcycle road-way departure crash than in an intersection related crash.
- 90% of motorcyclists had a valid motorcycle license, but you can always sharpen up on your skills by taking an advanced course. Fate will not tap you on the shoulder and give advanced notice when these skills will be needed.
- Motorcyclists who crashed while riding impaired had an average BAC of 0.13 on this route, with the highest being .17. You can always get your bike in the morning. There is no need to risk crashing and hurting yourself and your bike all because you wanted to ride your bike home.
- The majority (60%) of crashes occurred on a straight and level roadway.
- Check the tires, control functions, lights and electrics, gas, oil, brake fluid levels, and suspension movement regularly.
- Consider a roadside assistance plan. Many motorcycle insurance companies offer this as an option, as does a membership with the American Motorcyclist Association.
- If you have a chain drive motorcycle make sure the chain is correctly adjusted and lubricated.
- If your rear wheel locks while traveling at a higher speed, do not release the brake! If your bars are straight, you will skid in a straight line, which is alright. Your priority is to come to a complete stop (MSF).
- To avoid your wheel locking up while emergency braking, if your front wheel “chirps”, release the brake for a split second, then immediately reapply the brake (MSF).
- Wear all the gear, all the time. Not wearing your gear puts you at a high risk for losing skin to the road during a crash.