Sam Houston Tollway northbound crash at Clay Dr in rain

A major crash on the West Sam Houston Tollway northbound at Clay Drive brought slowdowns to the corridor around 11:39 AM on Sunday, September 6th, as moderate rain fell across the area.

The collision occurred during wet conditions that contributed to the backup. According to TxDOT data, wet pavement factors into thousands of Texas crashes annually—over 14,000 in the most recent reporting period—and Sunday's rain created those exact hazards across the Houston-Galveston region.

This crash lands on a corridor with serious history. LTA data shows 28 incidents on the West Sam Houston Tollway northbound at Clay Drive in the past 30 days alone, with 19 of those classified as major. Over 90 days, that number climbs to 104 total incidents, 61 of them major. The single busiest hour at this location is 10–11 AM, though crashes here occur throughout the day rather than clustering in one window.

Looking back further, state crash records from the Texas Department of Transportation show 721 crashes within about a quarter-mile of this location since January 2020. Contributing factors as recorded by the investigating officer, per TxDOT CRIS, show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 205 crashes at the corridor.

Responding officers worked to clear the wreckage and restore lanes. Traffic conditions were expected to improve as the incident was cleared.

If you're heading northbound on the Sam Houston Tollway, allow extra time through this area—it's experienced elevated crash activity this month, and wet roads will remain a factor as long as rain continues.