In Texas, fatal car accidents in Houston occur far more regularly than you’d think. Several fatal car accidents in Houston claim thousands of lives each year. Houston is considered to be the deadliest in the country to drive in. It is essential to analyze common reasons for fatal car accidents to prevent such incidents. The aftermath of an accident leaves a devastating impact on the people involved.
Suffering from serious injuries and financial damages can have a serious toll on your mental health as well. The location of previous accidents varies from city streets to highways and country roads. Approximately 32,244 fatal accidents were reported in the United States in 2019. Whereas 3,294 accidents were reported in only Texas. Even after COVID -19 pandemic, the number of accidents showed an increasing trend.
Reasons behind High Number of Fatal Car Accidents in Houston:
Following are the reasons behind the increasing number of fatal car accidents in Houston:
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Enforcing the Speed Limit and Law Enforcement Agencies:
The number of speeding tickets issued has decreased significantly over the years. Over-speeding is a common problem in Houston, as the majority of the people believe that speed limit means nothing if it is not effectively implemented by the Law. Usually, drivers tend to go 10-20 miles over the speed limit that causes fatal accidents. With increased speed and more energy, more deadly collisions are happening, claiming the lives of numerous people.
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Distance Keeps Drivers On the Road for a Longer Time:
Houston is a densely populated area with numerous people choosing to live outside the city area. This means many people tend to commute long distances daily. This can take an hour or maybe longer to go to work each day. Commute can become boring leading to distraction while driving. This increases the chances of fatal accidents.
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Pedestrians and Cyclists Have No Space to Safely Travel:
Houston is not a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly city. It gets difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to find space to drive safely and reach their destination without being involved in a fatal accident. There are approximately 6,200 miles of roadways in the city.
The bike lanes and sidewalks are 300 miles each. This requires cyclists to perform risky maneuvers through the traffic. When pedestrians and cyclists don’t have a safe place to travel, they will hit the road which would increase the risk of a fatal accident.
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Houston Roads Are Designed for Speed:
For years the roads were redesigned with freeways to keep the traffic flowing and avoid traffic jams. The purpose of redesigning was to increase the speed at which vehicles move around to avoid road congestion. Especially at interchanges and exits, high traffic jam situations used to create difficulty in commuting from one place to another.
The speed limit at the majority of the highways is 70 mph or higher. Increased speed and the number of vehicles on the road can directly contribute to fatal accidents.
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Aggressive Tow Truck Drivers:
Many tow trucks drive carelessly to reach the accident scene. You might have seen it after an accident, few tow trucks speeding to reach the scene first to provide their service. This means their driving will cause disturbance to others. They are rarely held accountable for this reckless behavior. Neither the law enforcement takes strict action against such behavior. For this reason, many tow trucks caused severe crashes thus increasing the number of accidents in Houston.
Vision Zero action plan is determined by the government to prevent fatal accidents and eliminate traffic deaths by 2030. To reduce these accidents certain actions are determined which include building sidewalks, redesigning locations with a higher number of accidents, and introducing safety features. These steps are necessary to prevent fatal accidents and save the lives of thousands of people in Houston.
Houston Fatal Car Accident Attorneys:
While the government policies are intended to reduce fatal car accidents in Houston, drivers are prone to such incidents due to dangerous road conditions. If you or your loved ones suffered from such an unfortunate incident, you may be eligible to receive compensation for financial and emotional damages.
Consult our highly skilled and experienced car accident and personal injury attorneys to know your legal rights. We cannot stop such incidents but we can ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. The time to file for a compensation claim is limited. Get in touch with our team to evaluate the best legal option for your case timely.