Texas motor vehicle and motorcycle accident causes and statistics | DENENA | POINTS
CALL
TEXT

Texas motor vehicle and motorcycle accident causes and statistics

Jaws_of_LifeHouston motorcycle crash injury attorneys on Texas motor vehicle and motorcycle accident causes: by the numbers. TxDOT data reveals that in 2011, almost 500 people died in Texas in fatal motorcycle accidents. That’s at least one Texas motorcycle crash fatality every single day. The motorcycle accident fatalities include both drivers and their passengers. The fatality number is higher for those without helmets at the time of their accidents than it is for those wearing helmets.

In addition to the motorcycle accident fatalities, there were 5,970 serious injuries from Texas motorcycle crashes. Slightly more than 2,000 riders and passengers suffered injuries not classified as serious. 1,724 experienced motorcycle accidents without being injured. And around 200 were listed with “unknown” injuries. In all, 10,359 riders and passengers experienced Texas motorcycle crashes in 2011 that were sufficiently severe to warrant authorities’ attention and the reports that became part of the TxDOT crash data.

Our Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys wondered about the different causes behind the thousands of Texas motorcycle crashes. TxDOT has detailed data tables that answer just about any question you might have. If you enjoy things like spreadsheets and actuarial tables, you’ll love them and should look them up yourself. In case you don’t enjoy such light reading, we’ve taken some of the highlights and present them below.

In general, for all Texas vehicle crashes in 2011 including motorcycles, cars, and trucks, 88,849 of 98,532 rural crashes occurred on clear, cloudless days. In other words, the weather did not influence these accidents, so there must be other causes. Only 6,668 crashes were linked to rainy weather. In urban areas, 261,315 of 282,931 accidents happened in clear, cloudless conditions and only 16,789 came from rain.

And looking at the data from road conditions, our Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys remark that more than 85% of rural crashes and more than 89% of urban wrecks resulted in dry, good road conditions. A more comprehensive tabulation reveals some of the other accident causes. Below, our Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys have included just a small sampling of some of the most common crash causes:

RURAL CRASH NUMBERS:

  • An animal in the road caused almost 9,000 crashes in rural areas.
  • 1,676 wrecks resulted when drivers changed lanes in an unsafe manner.
  • More than 3,300 accidents occurred because of defective headlights.
  • Almost 4,000 rural crashes were the result of drivers disregarding stop signs, stoplights, and stop and go signals.
  • 2,817 wrecks were caused by a distraction in the vehicle.
  • 16,355 Texas accidents were ascribed to driver inattention.
  • 21,637 rural crashes were attributed to drivers speeding.
  • Another over 13,000 wrecks were attributed to unsafe speeds under the speed limit.
  • More than 6,000 accidents resulted from drivers failing to stay in a single lane.
  • Over 10,000 rural crashes were caused by driver’s failure to yield right-of-way.
  • 4,183 wrecks occurred because drivers were fatigued or asleep at the wheel.
  • Almost 8.000 crashes resulted from flawed evasive action in a dangerous situation.
  • Slightly over 2,500 accidents resulted from following too closely.
  • And alcohol or drugs caused around 9.500 rural crashes.
  • 1.226 wrecks consisted of wrong-way crashes.
  • And just over 2,000 accidents resulted from making an unsafe turn.

Our Houston crash injury attorneys note that it can be interesting to compare the numbers for URBAN CRASHES:

  • Wrecks caused by animals in the road go down to about 1.500.
  • But crashes caused by backing up unsafely go up from almost nothing to 5,931.
  • Changing lanes unsafely caused more than 17.000 urban crashes.
  • Nearly 20,000 wrecks resulted from disregarding stop signals.
  • Almost 60,000 accidents occurred because of driver inattention.
  • 78,399 urban crashes resulted from speeding.
  • Around 54,000 wrecks resulted from failure to yield right-of-way.
  • Drivers following too closely caused 18,680 accidents.
  • Alcohol or drugs caused about 22,500 urban crashes.

The overwhelming numbers of Texas traffic accidents in 2011 reveal that the odds of having a wreck are high for all drivers. And motorcyclists experience about a 35 times greater risk of suffering a fatal accident than occupants of other vehicles.

The experienced Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys at Denena & Points provide skilled and knowledgeable legal assistance to victims of Texas motorcycle crashes. We understand the significant expenses that motorcycle accident victims and their families face and we are committed to helping people recover the fair financial recoveries they deserve for their injuries.

Our Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys utilize leading edge technologies, proven management systems, and the strong experience of our attorneys and staff to move your case forward as efficiently as possible while maximizing your case outcome. We employ a hands-on approach. Our support staff does not handle the client’s case. Our dedicated attorneys are personally involved with every aspect of the case from origination to conclusion.

Let our skills and experience protect your legal rights. Contact the Texas Board Certified Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys at Denena & Points for a free initial legal consultation. We’re so confident that our personal injury expertise and experience could benefit you that we do not charge you attorneys’ fees unless you win. Call or email us today.