In Texas, there are about 500,000 car accidents every year. It is estimated that about one in five people have been involved in a crash at least once in their life. In fact, it’s estimated that around 3 million people were injured in 2018 in motor vehicle accidents, and over 2.5 million people are injured severely enough to require medical attention.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 35,600 traffic fatalities in Texas in 2018 alone.
The good news is that these numbers have been declining over the last decade, with fewer traffic deaths being reported each year since 2004.
So, how common are car accidents? Let’s find out.
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How Common Are Car Accidents in Texas – The Statistics
Some of the statistics are staggering. In 2019, over 500,000 car accidents occurred in Texas—the highest number of accidents per year for any state.
According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 500,000 car accidents in 2020 alone. That’s one accident every 67 seconds.
To put those numbers in perspective: One person dies from a car accident every 135 minutes, and another person is hurt every 154 seconds. Those are staggering statistics!
But it gets worse—the number of deadly truck accidents in Texas is even more staggering than the overall accidents here. In fact, 13% of all deadly truck accidents happen here in our state. And these crashes aren’t just impacting other drivers on the road; they’re also impacting cyclists and pedestrians who are hit by large trucks while they’re going about their daily lives outside their vehicles.
There were around 3,000 fatal crashes in Texas in 2020. Of those, 46% involved people not wearing their seatbelts, and 25% involved an intoxicated driver.
Most Common Car Accidents
There are many car accidents, but some are more common than others. Here are the most common types of car accidents in Texas:
- Rear-end collisions occur when a driver hits the rear end of another vehicle or object at a low speed.
- Single-vehicle accidents involve only one vehicle and often result in serious injury or death to the driver.
- Head-on collisions occur when two vehicles go directly toward each other on the same side of the road and collide head-on. They often result in severe damage to both vehicles and extensive injuries for everyone involved.
- Side impact occurs when one vehicle collides with another from the side, which can significantly damage both vehicles and cause serious injury to all passengers inside them (including pedestrians).
A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You
If you have been injured in a car accident in Texas, a personal injury attorney can help you recover compensation for damages and losses incurred. They will help you get the compensation you deserve, as well as medical treatment and legal advice.
But if you’re dealing with a large trucking company directly, it may be able to get away with offering you a very low settlement. It’s in companies’ best interests to settle cases quickly and quietly, even if the settlement is minimal.
An experienced lawyer knows how to build a strong case and how to get the most out of negotiations with trucking companies. They should be able to help you with documentation and collecting evidence to make sure you’ve got all the facts straight.
Your attorney can also negotiate with the trucking company on your behalf and help you get the settlement you deserve.
In Conclusion
If you’ve been in an accident in Texas, it’s important to know your rights. If you were injured and have questions about your options, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
An experienced attorney can help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, and more.