Accidents are an unfortunate side effect of the convenience of having a car. There has been a growing trend of people using their cell phones leading to an increase in car accidents by distracted drivers. While Texas counties, towns, cities, and municipalities have enacted a wave of bans on texting and using a mobile device while driving this has not completely hindered the growing problem. However, in addition to the distractions and hazards in the car, there is also a real concern about what is going on outside of the vehicle that can lead to more accidents. The Texas Department of Transportation tracks accidents throughout the state which leads to some interesting data about when is the most dangerous season and month to drive in.According to the Texas Department of transportation, certain months have a higher accident rate and sadly a higher amount of fatalities then another month. The range in accidents, which lead to fatalities, is staggering with 100 more fatalities in some months as opposed to others. According to the data statistically, October is the most dangerous month to drive in. The others are as follows:
- October – Experienced 316 crashes and 356 fatalities
- July –– Saw 304 crashes and 331 fatalities.
- December – Saw 284 total accidents and crashed and 313 fatalities
- May – 276 crashes resulted in 310 lives lost.
- March – 262 crashes lead to 302 lives lost
- June and September – Saw different amounts of crashes at 258 and 254 respectively but both saw 295 fatalities.
- November – There were 260 crashed in November 2015, and there were a resultant 288 fatalities.
- January – There was a total of 247 crashes and 281 fatalities.
- August – There were 230 crashes and a total of 262 fatalities and lives lost.
- April – 232 crashes and accidents resulted in 257 lives lost
- February – 215 crashes resulted in 241 lives lost.
As you can see there are certain times of the year where there is a higher likelihood or at least there were more reported crashes and fatalities from spring through December drivers were more likely to be involved in fatal crashes.
As noted above, the Texas Department of Transportation compiles reports and statistics on all accidents occurring throughout the state. In 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation documented that there were 13,616 serious injury crashes with 17,011 people sustaining a serious injury. Some of the most common reasons for car accidents in Texas include:
- Domestic and Wild animals on the road
- Using a Cellular mobile device and Texting
- Unsafe Lane changes
- Speeding
- Having Defective headlamps, taillights, and turn signals Defective
In addition to these leading causes of accidents, there are also some other very dangerous activities that lead to accidents in Arlington. Driving under the influence lead to over 9,000 crashes in 2015 and is one of the leading causes of death and fatalities in a motor vehicle accident. Another interesting statistic is that drivers who were following others too closely caused over twenty-two thousand accidents last year. In addition to identifying these conditions, it should also be noted that these serious accidents are much more likely to occur on US and State Highways. In 2015 alone there were over one 1319 accidents and 1,543 fatalities on U.S and State Highways throughout Texas.
What to Do if You are in an Accident in Texas
There is an endless list of reasons why a person may be involved in an accident however, there are some steps that you should take if you have been involved in an accident. These include:
- Remain at the crash scene – you should always remain at the scene of an accident, or at least remain at the scene until the police arrive and allow you to go. You may be charged with a crime if you leave the scene of an accident.
- Check on the condition of all people involved in the crash – this is perhaps the most important thing, cars can be replaced, but lives cannot. When you are in an accident immediately check on all the occupants of your car and any other car who is involved in the accident.
- Call the police and emergency personnel – This goes hand-in-hand with the above. If anyone in any of the vehicles has been injured, you should call the police and for an ambulance.
- Exchange information with other drivers – If you are able to move your car without endangering anyone further, for example when the accident is minor, then you should do so and then exchange insurance, license, phone numbers, and perhaps addresses with all others who were involved in the accident.
When there has been any accident you should not wait to contact a car accident attorney if you have been injured. While everyone is required to carry insurance in Texas, dealing with an insurance company can be a difficult task.
Contact a Houston Car Accident Lawyer at QueenanLw for a Free Consultation
To get a free and completely confidential assessment of your case, call Queenan Law at (817) 476-1797 right away. A Dallas personal injury lawyer will provide you with a clear, honest, and nuanced overview of you and your family’s potential legal options.