Car Accidents in Texas

What All Drivers Need to Know

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The state of Texas has, by far, more lane mileage than any other state in the country. We love our automobiles and rely on them to get virtually everywhere we go. Unfortunately, this also means that we have many vehicle accidents in our state. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, someone is injured in an automobile accident in Texas every 128 seconds.

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Why Do These Accidents Happen?

The vast majority of vehicle accidents occur because of human error. Estimates provided by the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey say that approximately 94 percent of crashes are caused by driver error. In the pages that follow, we will look at how that human error occurs and what it means for those who get injured in car accidents.

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Common Causes of Car Accidents• Driver Distraction• Impaired Driving• Reckless Driving (including

failure to obey traffic signs, improper lane changes and traveling too fast for conditions)• Drowsy or Fatigued Driving• Failure to Drive Appropriately

for Weather Conditions• Defective Vehicle Parts

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Who is Most Likely to Cause Vehicle Collisions?• Teen drivers are three times more

likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers aged 20 and older.

• In 2014, over 70 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities were men. Males also have higher rates of drunk driving and aggressive driving than females.

• In 2015 in Texas, 27 percent of motor vehicle fatalities occurred in collisions involving a drunk driver.

• In 2015 in Texas, over 475 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents involving a distracted driver.

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When do Vehicle Collisions Occur?

• In 2015, October was the deadliest month on Texas roads.

• Drunk driving accidents increase during college and professional football seasons in Texas. For example, in 2012, DUI-related fatalities increased by 27 percent on game days.

• In Texas, more alcohol-related crashes occur between 2:00 a.m. and 2:59 a.m. than any other hour of the day.

• In Texas, more alcohol-related crashes occur on Saturdays than any other day of the week.

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Where do These Accidents Occur?

• In Texas, over half of the fatalities in motor vehicle accidents in 2015 occurred on rural roads. • In 2015, over 800 people were

killed in intersection-related crashes in Texas. • Houston (66,319), San

Antonio (42,472) and Dallas (31,094) were the three Texas cities with the highest number of vehicle crashes in 2015.

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Common Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents

•Fractured bones•Traumatic Brain Injuries•Back and Spinal Cord Injuries• Internal damage•Whiplash•Wrongful Death

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What to Do Immediately Following a Car Accident• Make sure that you and everyone else involved in the accident is okay.• If someone is injured or if there is the possibility of an injury, immediately call 911 for medical attention. • Notify the police so they can respond to the scene.• If you are able, pull your car off of the road to avoid causing more accidents.• If you can, take pictures of the scene of the accident.• Collect the information of the other driver (insurance, name, phone number, etc.).• Collect the contact information of any witnesses to the accident.• Call a personal injury attorney for assistance.

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Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident?If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Texas, the Evans Law Firm can help. We will investigate your case to find out exactly who was at fault and hold them accountable for the damages you have suffered.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you. www.evanstxlaw.com/

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How We’ve Helped Our ClientsChip represented the family of a teenager who was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Various parties were competing for what they believed to be their share of available insurance policy proceeds. Chip was able to secure a full policy limits settlement and place the bulk of the settlement funds into a trust to pay for the young man’s future college education.“I ran into the young man about 10 years after I had represented his family — in the airport, of all places. We recognized each other and began talking. He told me that he had recently finished up his master’s degree and was headed to Europe. He was able to take a few months off and do this because his education was funded solely by the settlement we achieved. I love knowing that what could have been a very negative situation turned into something positive.”

How We’ve Helped Clients (continued)“I was injured by a drunk driver, and after I struggled to deal with insurance myself, my employer’s attorney referral service sent me to Chip. I wish I had talked to him sooner – I would’ve saved myself a lot of stress! He took care of everything from that point, and got me a better settlement than I expected.” – Chris