Causes of Auto Accidents in Texas in 2015

“There were no deathless days on Texas roadways in 2014.” This sobering statement from the Texas Department of Transportation punctuates last year’s crash statistics: 3,534 people died in auto accidents in 2014 – a rate of one death every 2 hours and 29 minutes. This includes 2,150 multi-vehicle collisions, 1,041 drunk driving-related fatalities and 483 deaths caused by distracted drivers.

So far, 2015 has been a deadly year for motorists as well. In this article, we take a look at the causes of some recent fatal car accidents throughout Texas and in the Houston area. If you have lost a loved one in an accident, we encourage you to speak with one of our top-rated auto accident lawyers as soon as possible.

Drunk Driving Fatalities

In June, a 43-year-old mother was killed by a suspected drunk driver in Austin. The accident occurred around 2:00 am on a Sunday morning as the woman was driving home from a friend’s birthday party.

Earlier in the month, a young couple catching a ride home from work with friends was killed when their car was rear-ended by a drunk driver at an intersection. The collision sent the vehicle flying more than 100 feet and the 21 and 22-year-olds were pronounced dead at the scene.

Trucking Accidents

Also in June, an accident that resulted in the death of a truck driver shut down Highway 225 for more than 13 hours. Authorities suspect that the driver suffered a medical episode that caused him to lose control of his 18-wheeler. In a separate accident, a multi-vehicle collision involving an 18-wheeler on I-35 resulted in the death of a 31-year-old man from Austin.

A few weeks later, a motorcycle rider was killed when he was run over by a tractor-trailer on the ramp from I-35 to I-30 near Dallas.

Oilfield Vehicle Collisions

In January, five men – all believed to be oilfield workers – died when their van collided with an oil tanker on a highway in the Eagle Ford Shale region outside of San Antonio. News reports indicate that the driver of the tractor-trailer lost control while attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

The article discussing the accident cites the fracking boom as one of the causes behind the recent spike in deadly truck accidents in South Texas. It also notes that workers’ long hours – with some oil field employees putting in consecutive 12-hour days – is a contributing factor in these collisions as well.

Deadly Speeding

A man speeding in a stolen Audi killed an Army veteran while attempting to flee the police. The victim was driving to a sonogram appointment with his pregnant wife, who was also seriously injured in the accident.

This is just a small sampling of the accidents that have occurred in Texas so far this year. Sadly, as in many cases, it appears that all of these accidents could have been avoided with the exercise of reasonable care.

Our Houston Auto Accident Lawyers Are Here to Help

At Morrow & Sheppard LLP, we represent families who have lost loved ones in fatal car accidents throughout Texas. If you have lost a family member due to an accident, call our Houston law offices at (800) 489-2216 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.