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According to a recent study performed by Associated Press, traffic fatalities in drilling states, including Texas, have more than quadrupled since 2004. But wait . . . hasn’t the energy boom positively impacted our country? The increased production of oil and natural gas creates job, lifts local economies, and attracts manufacturers to the United States. However, our nation’s booming economy comes with a price—a spike in traffic facilities. Large trucks and heaving drilling equipment consume the streets of Texas drilling counties, increasing traffic fatalities by 18%.