Have you ever been hit by a car or gotten involved in a car accident?
If you have not, consider yourself lucky.
Whether you like it or not, accidents happen daily on the road involving a pedestrian, a bystander, a passenger, or another driver.
Due to the absence of protection, getting hit by a car is a nightmare. More often than not, this type of accident results in fatalities on the spot or later on down the line because of serious injuries associated with the accident.
The leading causes for these accidents include over-speeding, overloading, distracted driving, aggressive driving, impaired driving, fatigued driving, driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated (DWI), tailgating, failure to signal properly, failure to yield the right-of-way and failure to operate in a single lane, among others.
In Houston, Texas, fatalities and incapacitating injury accidents occur daily. While most accidents occurred in urban areas at 76.29%, with the city of Houston gaining the top spot with 12.8% of total collisions in the state, the fatal road accidents which occurred in rural areas remain alarming.
Let’s look at the significant city-specific numbers of car accidents in Houston for 2019:
- 240 fatal accidents
- 253 accident fatalities
- 23,470 possible injuries from crashes
- 15,329 possible injury accidents
- 5,357 non-incapacitating collisions
- 7,152 non-incapacitating injuries
- 1,200 suspected serious collisions
- 1,392 suspected severe injuries
Based on this list, the total number of car accidents in Houston, Texas, is 68,682.
Recently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported over 552,000 car accidents statewide in 2021. This resulted in 4,489 deaths. In other words, approximately 1.56 deaths occur for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the state.
These numbers are a staunch reminder that, by far, Houston is the most dangerous city for drivers and pedestrians alike and that Texas has roads that were “designed to kill.” The figures also show more deaths and incapacitating injury accidents in Houston than in any other city in the state.
With the total deaths and serious injuries resulting from car accidents through the years, the lifetime odds of dying or injuring yourself in Houston are not in your favor.
Sooner or later, you may get involved in a car accident or hit by a car.
What can you do to avoid these accidents?
Aside from being cautious while driving on the road or walking on a sidewalk, the answer is none. Accidents happen all the time and when you least expect them.
It may be a hard pill to swallow, but it is the truth.
It is thus very crucial to know which way to go and what to do if you ever encounter a car accident or, worse if you ever get hit by a car.
Your best choice is to find a skilled car accident lawyer to help you or a loved one pursue compensation for injuries or wrongful death.
Read on to learn more about dealing with car accidents in Texas.
Common Types of Car Accidents
By now, you should know that car accidents are inevitable. You can only take precautions to lower the risk of being involved in accidents.
If you already have a near-death experience after getting hit by a car, it is vital to know the figures behind the most common car accidents in Houston, TX, to continue being particularly careful while walking on the road with these vehicles around.
Although the overall number of deaths and incapacitating injury resulting from car accidents vary from state to state, the following accidents are the most common:
- Pedestrian accidents: This type of accident is also one with high fatality rates over the years. Unlike motorcycles that require a helmet, pedestrians do not have any protection. In terms of safety, pedestrians are at a considerable disadvantage. There were already 5,366 accidents involving pedestrians, resulting in 824 deaths and 1,381 suspected severe injuries. In other words, pedestrian accidents are twice as many as bicycle accidents. The fatalities and resulting injuries are ten times and four times greater, respectively.
- Work-zone accidents: Although TxDOT requires a reduced speed limit or organized detours when approaching work zones, accidents in these areas remain disquieting. There were 26,357 car accidents in work zones, resulting in 246 fatalities and 857 suspected severe injuries.
- Motorcycle accidents: Motorcycle accidents have by far the highest fatality rate over the years among various car accidents because of total exposure to the impact of the crash. As a result, there were already 8,847 motorcycle accidents in Texas, of which 3,341 drivers were not wearing a helmet during the accident.
- Bicycle accidents: Like motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents have a history of startling death rates because of complete exposure to the impact of an accident. Although bicycles do not weigh as much as motorcycles, they can still cause incapacitating pedestrian injuries. There were already 2,265 bicycle accidents in Texas, which resulted in 90 fatalities and 332 suspected severe injuries.
- Drunk driving accidents: Driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) remain the number cause of accidents involving another vehicle, a pedestrian, or a bystander. Since drunk driving impairs the ability of the driver to think and especially to drive safely, the victims suffer serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal injury as the most common, and even untimely death. In Texas, this driving accident already resulted in 936 deaths and 1,828 suspected severe injuries.
- Speeding accidents: Driving beyond the prescribed limit is a menace to society because it breaches the required duty of care they ought to exercise while on the road. Each time a speeding driver operates on the road, everybody is put at risk. There were already 29,832 accidents involving speeding drivers, which resulted in 808 fatalities and 1,927 serious injuries.
- Distracted driving accidents: Any activity that can take away your supposed attention from the road is considered distracted driving. There were already 93,650 distracted driving incidents statewide. This consists of about 17% of all car accidents in Texas. Of these accidents, 380 resulted in deaths, and 2,442 resulted in suspected severe injuries. Distracted driving increases the chances of accidents involving different parties. A few examples of this type of driving include texting, talking to your phone, drinking, and eating while driving. Remember that the consequences of distracted driving are worse than you expect. If you hit a pedestrian or a bystander, it can lead to physical, mental, and emotional injury to the victim and possibly their eventual death.
- Commercial motor-vehicle accidents: In Texas, commercial motor vehicles weighing 26,000 pounds or more, whether or not fully loaded, have to satisfy specific requirements. Failure to meet these requirements can put other cars and people in danger, particularly because of their large size and weight. If commercial motor vehicles collide with other vehicles, the latter are at a big disadvantage. If this type of vehicle hits you, you have a very slim chance of being alive. At present, there were already 38,149 commercial vehicle accidents that occurred in Texas. These resulted in 705 fatalities and 1,708 suspected severe injuries.
Each type of accident can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Keeping the types of car accidents in mind will help you minimize the risks you will encounter every day as a pedestrian, keep you safe on the road and avoid potential dangers.
What a Houston Car Accident Lawyer Can Do
If you are involved in a car accident or have been hit by a car in Houston, Texas, remember that the key to getting the maximum compensation for your injuries is to have proper legal representation.
Check out how a Houston car accident attorney can help you after getting hit by a car:
Investigate the accident. A reputable car accident lawyer will thoroughly investigate your accident to gather all relevant and competent evidence, such as witness statements, police reports, accident reports, and medical records, among others. To further establish a strong case for you, a car accident attorney can hire experts, accident reconstruction specialists, for instance, to help determine who is at fault and who is liable for the accident.
Evaluate the extent of your injuries and damages. A skilled car accident lawyer will work with medical experts and specialists to calculate the value of your claim.
Negotiate with insurance companies. An experienced car accident attorney will negotiate with insurance companies and their property damage or bodily injury adjusters on your behalf to ensure that you receive full and fair compensation for your injuries and damages.
Represent you in court. If a settlement is not reached during negotiations, a proficient car accident lawyer will represent you in court and present a solid case to a judge or a jury.
Navigate the complexities of the legal process. A trained car accident attorney will ensure that you file your case before the court on time to avoid the dismissal of your case. In other words, a lawyer will ensure that your case is filed within the statute of limitations.
Help you explore your legal rights and options. A proficient car accident lawyer will help you understand your legal rights and present the legal options favorable to your case. A lawyer will provide guidance and expertise throughout the process.