The Houston metropolitan area experienced a severe traffic day Saturday, February 28, 2026, with authorities responding to 887 total incidents, including 599 major crashes throughout the region. The surge in traffic incidents created hazardous conditions across multiple counties, with Harris County accounting for the overwhelming majority of reported problems at 809 incidents. Additional incidents were recorded in Fort Bend County (51), Montgomery County (16), Galveston County (8), and Waller County (3).
Major crashes clustered around several key corridors throughout the evening hours. Interstate 45, Interstate 10, and State Highway 288 saw multiple significant collisions, with particularly serious incidents reported at IH-45 Gulf Southbound near IH-69 Eastex, and on IH-10 Katy Eastbound near Wilcrest Drive. The South Loop corridor experienced multiple crashes between Fennel Street and Wayside Drive, while Westheimer Road saw repeated collisions requiring emergency response. Authorities requested multiple tow trucks at a serious incident on McKinney Street at approximately 11:09 p.m. Several crashes were classified as non-fatal injury accidents, indicating serious conditions that required immediate medical attention.
The incidents were concentrated in the late evening hours, with the majority of crashes occurring between 10:20 p.m. and midnight. Beyond the major thoroughfares, surface streets including Lamar Street, Gessner Road, Fondren Road, and Cullen Boulevard also experienced significant traffic disruptions. Minor incidents, including stranded motorists and traffic hazards, comprised 288 of the total reported incidents.
Motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the Houston area and to remain aware of potential delays on major corridors. Drivers should consider using real-time traffic applications to avoid congested areas and allow additional travel time for their commutes. Authorities remind the public to drive defensively, maintain safe following distances, and avoid distracted driving practices.
Houston Area
Multiple County, Texas
This report was produced by LTA's editor-designed production system under the executive editorial direction of Dennis R. Mundy, Executive Editor. The system combines our proprietary data pipeline with AI-assisted drafting to deliver verified incident coverage to LTA's editorial standards.