Route Summary
FM 149 travels through the southern side of the Sam Houston National Forest. Along this route are tall pine trees and tons of wildflowers when the season is right. Just east of this route is Lake Conroe, a great spot to stop and have lunch on the lake.
This route had fatal and incapacitating crashes between 2010 – 2023. 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 (2010-2023) | |
|---|---|
| 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.
- Crashes along this route tended to involve motorcyclists traveling at unsafe speed while negotiating a curve, losing control, and crashing off the roadway.
- 31% did not have valid motorcycle license. Don’t forget, driving is a privilege, not a right. You have to prove your competence before your license is issued. If you ignore the laws of your state, your license may be taken from you (MSF).
- 47% of motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet. Full faced helmets offer the most protection. There are a variety of styles, weight, air flow, and other features for full faces at a range of different price points.
- 94% of crashes occurred along a curve. Look up & ahead. Don’t focus on the few feet in front of your motorcycle as it is already too late to make a correction. Look where you want to go and keep your eyes up to see potential dangers, allowing yourself adequate time to avoid them.
- The average BAC of riders who crashed while impaired was 0.149. We all do things we regret while we’ve been drinking… don’t let riding be one of them (NHTSA).
- You don’t want to realize you have a flat or deflated tire while you’re negotiating a curve. Check the tires, control functions, lights and electrics, gas, oil, brake fluid levels, and suspension movement regularly.
- Control your speed in a curve. Get to the speed you want to maintain before entering the curve.
- Do you have a need for speed? Look into signing up for a track day at your nearest race track. Texas has several tracks to choose from, including a world-class premiere track that your favorite MotoGP riders race on! Track days are not just for sport bikes and can benefit all riders!
- Never let your eyes fix on an object for more than two seconds. Keep looking around (MSF).
- Think you only need to watch out for cars? Think again. Almost half of fatal crashes in Texas involve only the motorcycle. Along this route, 94% of crashes only involved the motorcycle.