The 2025 Texas Injury Prevention Conference took place November 4-5, 2025. We want to thank everyone who attended and participated in the conference and made it a success! 

Post-conference resources will be available on the conference website until February 27, 2026. Sign up for the Injury Prevention Unit newsletter to stay updated on injury prevention-related topics all year long.

Now Available - Community-based Overdose Reporting Tool

Published 01/15/2026

Texas Overdose Data to Action (TODA) in collaboration with UTHealth Houston announces the Community-based Overdose Reporting Tool. Anyone can use this tool to report suspected drug poisonings. The report is anonymous. Reporting helps identify key strategies for fighting drug poisoning deaths in Texas. Go to the Community-based Overdose Reporting Tool and select the option that best fits your circumstances.

Questions? Email us at toda@dshs.texas.gov for additional information and resources.

Winter Weather Driving Tips

Updated 01/05/2026

Winter weather can cause dangerous driving conditions. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), North and West Texas experience the heaviest snowfalls, extreme white-outs, or icy road and bridge conditions. However, no matter where you live or travel in Texas, it’s important to be prepared for potentially hazardous road conditions.

TxDOT provides winter weather driving tips:

• Slow down. Speed limits are based on normal road and weather conditions, not winter road conditions.
• Maintain at least three times the normal following distance when driving on snow or ice.
• Watch carefully for snow removal equipment and stay at least 200 feet behind snow plows.
• Use extra caution on bridges, ramps, overpasses, and shaded areas as they tend to freeze first.
• If your vehicle starts to slide, ease off the gas pedal or brakes. Steer into the direction of the skid until you have regained traction. Then straighten your vehicle.

Before traveling, review TxDOT’s Winter Safety Guide. You can also visit Drive Texas to check current road conditions across the state. For general travel tips, visit the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Travel Tips webpage.

January Is National Radon Action Month.

Updated 01/05/2026

Radon is a naturally occurring, cancer-causing radioactive gas. You can’t see, smell, or taste radon. However, if inhaled, it can damage DNA and cause lung cancer. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America. Radon exposures cause about 21,000 Americans to die each year.

Radon exposure is preventable. Test for radon in your home. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem and protect yourself and your family.

Additional Resources:

• Texas Tech University – Texas Radon Information
• National Safety Council – Radon Gas Poisoning Prevention
• Radon Leaders Saving Lives
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Radon Awareness Week
• American Cancer Society – How to Test Your Home for Radon

New Texas Opioid Risk Index Map Available

Updated 12/01/2025

Texas Overdose Data to Action’s (TODA) external evaluator, the Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI), published the Opioid Risk Index Map. This map shows risks and resources for opioid use in Texas counties.

The map uses color to rate each county based on criteria and data derived from public sources. The three criteria are:

• Scope of Opioid-Related Complications: Includes opioid-related emergency room visits, death, poisoning center calls, and opioid dispensing rates.
• Community-Level Drivers of Health: Derived from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for socioeconomic indicators such as poverty, unemployment, housing burden, high school diplomas, and health insurance.
• Available Treatments: Considers what resources are in the county to combat opioid misuse and drug poisoning.

This map can help identify areas of risk and show where there may be potential opportunities to expand prevention and treatment efforts. Decision makers can use this map to align resources and prevention strategies with community needs.

Additional Drug Poisoning Prevention Resources:

• TODA General Resources
• TODA Naloxone Locator Map
• Texas Targeted Opioid Response
• Be Well, Texas
• Naloxone Texas

Winter Weather Safety Tips

Updated 12/01/2025

Texas weather can change in an instant. So, during the winter months, it’s important to prepare for winter storms.

According to Ready.gov, winter storms can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice, and high winds. These storms can last from just a few hours to multiple days. They may cut off heat, power, and communication services. Additionally, older adults, children, sick individuals, and pets are at greater risk.

Prepare Your Home. Apply insulation, caulking, and weather stripping.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Install a carbon monoxide alarm that functions properly and has a backup battery function.

Use Portable Generators Safely. Use portable generators outside and far away from buildings (EPA).

Learn the signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

Make sure body parts most affected by cold are covered in warm, dry clothing to avoid frostbite and hyperthermia.

Know the signs of frostbite:

• Redness or pain in any skin area.
• A white or grayish-yellow skin area.
• Skin that feels unusually firm or waxy.
• Numbness.

Know the signs of hypothermia in adults and infants:

Adults

• Shivering
• Exhaustion
• Confusion
• Fumbling hands
• Memory loss
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness

Infants

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

If a person is experiencing frostbite or hyperthermia, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Get them into a warm room or shelter. Remove any wet clothing. Warm them under layers of blankets and clothing. Place areas affected by frostbite in warm-to-touch water (CDC).