According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the total number of traffic fatalities for 2022 appears to have fallen compared to the year prior. Data collected in the first nine months of 2022 reflected 31,785 traffic fatalities, a small decrease from the same period of the prior year.
The same trend is not the case for fatal accidents in Texas. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 2021 represented a significant increase in traffic fatalities from they ear prior. With 4,489 traffic deaths, 2021 saw the most fatalities in the State of Texas in decades.
Texas is a busy state, and while fatal crash rates have been decreasing, there are still many dangerous roadways and unsafe drivers on the roads.
You should be aware of how common fatalities are in Texas car accidents and how you can avoid being involved in such an accident yourself. You probably also want to know what to do after a fatal crash. Keep reading to find out what our expert personal injury lawyers say!
How Many People Die Each Day In A Texas Motor Vehicle Accident?
By looking at the data above, it can be deduced that—on average—12 people die every single day in traffic auto accidents. That works out to approximately 84 traffic deaths a week and 360 per month.
Some days have more deaths than others, and this is especially during the weekends and holidays when traveling is at its highest. On average, Saturday is the deadliest day of the week for Texas roads.
By month, December was the deadliest month in Texas with 333 total deaths.
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Common Reasons Why Fatal Car Accidents Occur
Fatal accidents are usually caused by negligence. Simply put, negligence occurs when someone does something they are not supposed to do. There are a few main reasons why they occur, and while there are always outliers, if a fatal crash occurs, one of these factors was likely involved in some way.
These common reasons include:
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Texting and driving
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Poor weather conditions
- Unsafe vehicles
These are only the top reasons fatal accidents occur. There could be many others, but these occur most often simply due to the nature of drivers and driving.
Many drivers are busy and attempt to do too many things while driving, from texting to eating to choosing new radio stations. Also, drivers often get impatient and start speeding or acting recklessly.
Of course, we all know that drunk driving is still far too common around the world. And many drivers, whether they are drunk or not, are not skilled or practiced at driving when the roads are wet, icy, or snowy.
For these reasons, as well as many others, fatal accidents occur regularly. When a driver loses complete control of a heavy, moving vehicle, it can lead to terrible things.
How To Prevent Fatal Car Accidents
Preventing fatal car accidents is made easier when people follow the rules of the road. Here are a few suggestions for keeping yourself and others safe from fatal accidents:
- NEVER drink and drive. Call a taxi or rideshare instead.
- Allow someone else to drive if you are tired or need to be working on something else and are too distracted to pay proper attention to the road.
- Don’t text until you have arrived at your destination.
- Set your radio station before you start driving.
- Eat before you start driving.
- Keep your vehicle in good shape–check tires and brakes regularly.
- Use snow tires in winter weather.
- Allow someone else to drive if you are not comfortable in the weather conditions, or go more slowly and carefully. If conditions are especially icy or snowy, you want to brake slowly and start much sooner than you would in normal conditions.
- Keep your eyes on the road at all times.
- Watch for others being foolish and try to stay out of their way, and keep an eye out for any dangerous situations.
- Follow the speed limit.
These suggestions are pretty easy to follow, and most can be found in a typical driving manual. Most of all, make sure that you are watching out for yourself and others and doing everything you can to follow the laws and signs of the road.
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How A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help After A Fatal Car Accident
If you or your loved ones have been involved in a fatal car accident, you likely have many questions and concerns.
The first thing you should do after a fatal accident is to make sure everyone else is okay and gets the necessary care. However, you will have to begin to deal with the legal questions sooner rather than later. In most cases, a fatality in a car accident will be the fault of a driver’s negligent actions. Determining who was at fault and whether or not they should have to pay for it is work that a personal injury lawyer does well.
Personal injury lawyers know how to deal with complicated questions of who is at fault in a crash. They are also experienced at determining how much can and should be paid in damages for a wrongful death resulting from an accident.
Criminal charges such as vehicular manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter are often charged in fatal car accidents. However, these criminal charges may not result in compensation for the loved ones left behind after a fatality. To get compensation, a personal injury attorney will need to file a civil claim.
If you have been involved in a fatal car accident and have questions about what to do next to get the compensation you deserve, call Patterson Law Group. We understand how much pain you are suffering, and we want to help you recover as much as possible. Our experienced lawyers would be happy to answer your questions and stand with you through the process.
