2012 has been a Deadly Year with a High Number of TX Road Fatalities
After several straight years of consistent declines in the number of U.S. traffic fatalities, the number of fatal accidents is soaring again in 2012. And authorities are trying to figure out why. Some are pointing at unseasonably warm weather leading to more travel in the winter months that usually see a traffic slowdown. There were an estimated 7,630 U.S. road fatalities just in the first quarter of 2012 up from 6,720 in 2011. The first quarter of the year usually sees the lowest number of U.S. traffic deaths.
2012’s Sharp Rise in Auston, Texas Traffic Fatalities
Our Houston personal injury attorneys point out that Texas generally has clearer, travel-ready roads pretty much all year round, and yet our state has seen a frightening increase in fatal accidents just like the rest of the nation. Just a few days ago, KTRK reported that Police Chief Art Acevedo in Austin, Texas was working on solutions after the state’s capital saw the highest number of roadway fatalities since 2000.
Chief Acevedo pointed to alcohol as a factor in fully 40% of the traffic deaths. Chief Acevedo said he was considering putting more police officers on traffic enforcement and working more closely with neighboring counties’ law enforcement departments on safety. (Source: KTRK, abc13.com, 12/28/12)
Montgomery County’s Large Number of 2012 Christmas Week Fatal Accidents
Our Houston personal injury attorneys emphasize that the week spanning Christmas through New Year’s usually sees more traffic enforcement efforts, with “no refusal” policies in effect to boost safety during a time when more folks are out celebrating and then getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
But despite increased enforcement efforts, Conroe Today on December 27th reported that Montgomery County had also seen one of its deadliest holiday weeks in a long time. By the 27th, there had already been three tragic deaths on Montgomery County roads. Alcohol was beloved to be a factor in two of them, and texting while driving was the cause of the other wreck.
Have you been Injured in a Wreck because a Distracted Driver was Texting while Driving? Contact the Experienced Houston Personal Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a Free Legal Consultation to Discuss Your Case
Cell phone records and the “black box” inside a vehicle both record the time at which events happen. When there’s a sudden wreck, the black box on a driver’s vehicle will save detailed data on the seconds just prior to a crash. The cell phone records the times at which calls are made and texts are sent. If the time that a text was sent correlates closely with the time that a driver strikes you, this evidence could help you obtain just financial compensation for your needless injuries from the wreck.
Contact the Houston personal injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC. We could help you obtain the evidence you need to prove your accident claim. We offer a free initial legal consultation to discuss and evaluate your case. And you have no obligation to hire an attorney. Contact us today to begin your FREE consultation. Call 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form. Get the help you need now. We’ll be happy to speak with you and answer your questions after a serious injury has changed your life.
Prepare to be Shocked by Texas Fatal DUI Accident Statistics
Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related traffic crashes. And our Houston auto accident lawyers have pointed out before that the Houston area communities of Harris County lead the state of Texas in alcohol-related deaths. Our neighboring Montgomery and Liberty Counties also have high numbers of fatal DUI accidents for their size.
Maybe someone should examine what it is about life in Texas and in the Houston area in particular that makes folks want to drink and drive. Or just drink.
Everyone knows that drinking and driving can be fatal. And it’s not just the risk of crashing your own vehicle that could kill you. Let’s not forget the recent incident in Alvin, Texas where a driver crashed into the back of a vehicle being pushed by a dad and his two young boys, fatally injuring all three of them. Someone then shot that driver in the head execution style while he was still inside his vehicle.
The Sobering Total on Texas DUI Fatalities in 2011
TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) data shows that there were 1,523 fatal accidents in Texas in 2011. 502 of those fatal wrecks were alcohol-related. Those 502 fatal DUI accidents killed 570 people. That’s a full third of Texas traffic fatalities. The DUI wrecks also seriously injured 3,869 people and caused other injuries in an additional 1,941 victims.
Texas DUI Fatality Numbers Spike during the Holidays
Alcohol reduces our inhibitions and our level of caution, often precipitously. Studies show that just a little alcohol reduces your ability to make rational decisions. By drinking, you become less capable of making the wise decision to not get behind the wheel turning your vehicle into a deadly weapon.
Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that few people are willing to risk tangling with an unpredictable drunk to prevent them from drinking and driving. This is true even where potential liability exists on the part of the alcohol server if that person crashes.
In 2011, Texas saw the largest number of fatal DUI accidents on the July 4th weekend, with 36 wrecks causing 47 deaths. Memorial Day presents the second highest number of fatal crashes with 33 that killed 37 people. New Year’s was next with 30 and 32, followed by Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and Christmas. You can see a complete breakdown on the fatal accident numbers in the table linked to this post. Our scan of recent news articles indicates that 2012 has already surpassed last year’s Christmas and New Year’s DUI death toll.
We Can’t Say It Enough: Don’t Drink and Drive
Seriously: our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that the life you save could be your own. It makes no sense to celebrate the New Year on New Year’s Eve and then miss out on the New Year itself because you crashed.
Learn More about the Fatal Texas DUI Accident Spike during the 2012 Holiday Period
Click on this article by our Houston auto accident lawyers to learn about the spikes in DUI accident fatalities throughout the state.
If you’re injured in a holiday accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE, no obligation legal consultation to discuss and evaluate your case. We’re available at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form.
Goodyear Dunlop Agrees to Settle with Victim’s Son in Tire Defect Case
Tony Maglitto was riding in the back seat of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck driven by his brother. A defective Goodyear/Dunlop Grand Trek tire on the truck experienced a sudden tread separation as they were driving down busy I-10 in Baytown, Texas.
When the tire lost its tread, the Toyota Tundra became uncontrollable and left the roadway to end in a catastrophic rollover. Mr. Maglitto was ejected from the pickup truck when it flipped over, as often happens in rollover accidents. He suffered severe brain injuries and chest trauma from the impact and died from his injuries.
The tires on the Toyota Tundra were the original equipment Grand Trek TG35 P265/70R16 tires. Mr. Maglitto’s surviving son chose Chad Points as his tire defect lawyer Houston. In the lawsuit, Goodyear/Dunlop claimed the tire wasn’t defective. But the company had also manufactured other Grand Trek tires that had nylon wraps around the treads of the tire as well as belt edge wedges designed to prevent sudden tread separations like the one that happened in Mr. Maglitto’s case.
The tires on the Toyota were defective: they contained neither safety feature – neither the nylon wrap around the tread, nor the belt edge wedges to hold the layers of tread in place. The design of these tires lacked the safety features of other versions of the tire, and were therefore defective.
Mr. Maglitto’s son wasn’t the only plaintiff claiming these particular tires were defective. There were other plaintiffs with other cases and other lawyers. Significantly, those plaintiffs and their lawyers all chose Chad Points to take the depositions from Goodyear/Dunlop and their witnesses in the case, and to write the briefs and argue the case to the court handling the tire defect claims.
Goodyear/Dunlop knew what it was up against with our successful tire defect lawyer Houston. The tire manufacturer tried to keep the plaintiffs’ qualified expert witnesses from testifying about the tire defects. Again the plaintiffs and their lawyers chose Chad Points to handle the dispute because of his significant knowledge and long-term experience successfully handling tire tread separation cases. The judge ruled that our qualified expert witnesses could testify.
Chad Points of Denena Points, PC had the proven ability in winning tire tread separation cases and his ability came through again for Mr. Maglitto’s bereaved son. During negotiations with Chad Points, Goodyear/Dunlop agreed to settle with Mr. Maglitto’s son, but requested that the amount of the settlement be kept confidential. Manufacturers do not like to have the large amounts of settlement agreements disclosed for fear that they will encourage other injured victims to come forward and make claims for the harm they’ve suffered because of their products.
Learn 4 Important Steps You could take to avoid Dangerous Tire Tread Separations as You Drive
Click here to read these important tips to avoid tire tread separation from your tire defect lawyer Houston.
Contact Denena Points, PC for a FREE Legal Consultation with a Board Certified Tire Defect Lawyer Houston
We will meet with you face-to-face to discuss the injuries you or your family member received in a tire tread separation accident. You may be entitled to a full financial recovery from the tire’s manufacturer for the harm you’ve suffered because of a defective tire.
You’re under no obligation to hire an attorney. If you choose to hire us, we will aggressively pursue your claim for you. Let Chad Points and Tony Denena put their 15 years of solid knowledge and proven experience behind your claim. Rely on the tire defect lawyer Houston that other lawyers choose to represent their plaintiffs for tire tread separation cases. We won’t charge you attorneys’ fees unless we win your case for you. So call today to schedule your free case evaluation consultation. You can get in touch with us at 281-369-4363 or through our convenient online contact form.
U.S. Retailers Recall Nap Nanny Baby Recliners after Multiple Deaths
At least 5 deaths and dozens of reports of children almost falling from the recliners and hurting themselves have prompted 4 large U.S. retailers to recall the Nap Nanny products out of potential safety and liability concerns. The U.S. CPSC says that the Nap Nanny products pose a substantial risk of injury or death to infants.
The Houston product recall attorneys at Denena Points, PC mention that the Nap Nanny Generations One and Two and the Chill model of baby recliners are subject to the recall. The 4 large U.S. retailers behind the recall are: Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com, Amazon.com, and Toys R Us/Babies R Us.
The urgent recall action by the retailers comes after the product’s manufacturer, Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, indicated that it was unwilling or unable to issue a recall. Baby Matters told the Associated Press that it had gone out of business. And the company’s owner, Leslie Gudel, said that the company’s products were safe and that Baby Matters did not believe the CPSC complaint against its products had merit. (Source: Associated Press, 12/27/12)
The CPSC says that the Nap Nanny products contain defects in design, warning labels, and instructions. Parents and caregivers should stop using the products immediately.
Contact the Houston Product Recall Attorneys at Denena Points, PC to Report Injuries from the Recalled Nap Nanny Baby Recliners
When your child gets injured because of a defective baby recliner, it’s important to report the injury right away. The U.S. CPSC keeps track of these reports and takes them very seriously. The data helps them know when to investigate defective and dangerous products and to issue urgent safety recalls to concerned parents.
The Houston product recall attorneys at Denena Points, PC are very concerned about baby nursery products that could cause serious or fatal injuries to our children. We make ongoing efforts to help victims’ families recover from the harm inflicted by dangerous or defective products and to aid authorities in enhancing safety for everyone. To further those efforts, we urge you to contact us to report any injuries from the recalled Nap Nanny baby recliners. You can get in touch with us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form anytime. Let us help you help your family. Call today.
Defective Baby Products can be Deadly. Research Product Safety and Watch for Recalls
U.S. CPSC statistics show that in 2011, there were almost 75,000 emergency room visits for children under age 5 that were linked to baby nursery products. Over two thirds of the injuries (67%) came from infant carriers, car seats, strollers, cribs, and high chairs. Falls were the main cause of injury, with head injuries being the most common result.
The fatality statistics for 2011 are still being tabulated. For the years 2007 through 2009, there were an average of 114 deaths each year linked to baby nursery products. 89% of them were linked to infant carriers, car seats, baby bathing products, cribs, mattresses, cradles, and playpens.
You can learn about important product recalls from the U.S. CPSC website and the U.S. FDA website. These sites will allow you to subscribe to email alerts regarding recalls in the product categories that concern you. Our Houston product recall attorneys urge you to sign up and learn about important product recalls that could affect your child’s safety. Be aware. Be safe.
Deadly Houston Tanker Truck Chemical Explosion Takes Driver’s Life
Wednesday morning around 4:30 a.m., a tanker truck carrying an as yet unidentified chemical exploded in the northbound lanes of the Eastex Freeway close to Bush Intercontinental Airport in northeast Houston. Our Houston truck accident lawyers note that the tanker truck crash happened on U.S. 59 by the east interchange leading to the airport.
The driver died in the crash, and hazmat crews closed both sides of the Eastex Freeway to contain the fire. All lanes of the freeway did not reopen until about 8 hours after the tanker truck explosion. Hazmat crews were worried about the possible damage to the freeway as well as the possibility of winds spreading the fire into the nearby woods. The hazmat crews were also trying to determine what sort of chemical the truck was carrying when it exploded. (Sources: KTRK abc13.com and Associated Press, 12/26/12)
The cause of the tragic post-Christmas tanker truck crash and the identity of the driver were not disclosed. The sympathies of our Houston truck accident lawyers are with the family of the deceased truck driver at this difficult time.
The Texas Gulf Coast has a High Concentration of Industries involving Hazardous Materials; TxDOT has Special Procedures for Cleaning Related Hazmat Spills
Here in the Houston – Gulf Coast region with its multitude of refineries and chemical plants, we have more than an average familiarity with Hazmat incidents and procedures. We’re used to shelter in place orders after fires, explosions, and spills lead to hazardous conditions in our area.
Because our state sees a lot of traffic in hazardous materials due to the energy and chemical industries, the Texas Department of Transportation has special procedures to clean up a zone where a wreck has left a hazardous spill or residue. Texas authorities have become very efficient at cleaning up accident scenes left by wrecked tanker trucks and other vehicles. Learn more accident cleanup in Houston: click on this article by our Houston truck accident lawyers.
Texting and Driving wastes Teen Lives: Texas A&M Student dies in Crash
Chandler Renee Small, 19, a student at Texas A&M University, lost her life in a catastrophic rollover wreck around 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning on Texas 30. She was reportedly texting while driving a 2010 Ford F-250 pickup truck at a high rate of speed. Distracted from the road, she veered off of Texas 30 and the Ford F-250 pickup rolled over several times. Chandler Renee Small was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the tragic rollover wreck northeast of Grimes County Road 228.
Ms. Small died at the scene of the catastrophic rollover wreck. (Source: Dale Lezon, Houston Chronicle, 12/20/12) This teen student’s potential and promise will now never be realized, and a group of family and friends is now mourning when others are celebrating the holiday season.
Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Denena Points, PC to report Injuries from a Distracted Driving Crash
At Denena Points, PC, we make an ongoing effort to help state and local authorities improve traffic safety for everyone. As part of that effort, we ask that you contact us to report serious accidents and injuries linked to distracted driving. We can be reached at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form. Thank you.
Fatal Folly: Fingers Fumbling with Phones when They should be on the Wheel
Ms. Small’s needless, tragic death is just one more example of the fatal toll that texting while driving takes on teen lives. The U.S. NHTSA says that in 2008, 34,017 fatal vehicle crashes occurred accounting for a total of 37,261 deaths. Distracted driving, including texting while driving, caused 5,870 deaths: that is approximately 1 out of every 6 fatalities. Our Houston personal injury lawyers point out that drivers under the age of 20 years died in these distracted driving accidents more often than older drivers.
More recently in 2010, data indicates that 3,092 people died in distracted driving accidents. 416,000 people were injured in these crashes. The Houston personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC note that fully 18% of those motor vehicle accident injuries in 2010 were linked to distracted driving.
Some Important Research Facts about Distracted Driving
- Your crash risk is three times greater than normal if you are dialing a cell phone while driving.
- Truckers in one study experienced a crash and near-crash risk increased by 23 times when they were text messaging.
- 19% of drivers under 20 who were killed in fatal crashes were using their cell phones at the time of the accident.
- Texting takes a driver’s attention away from the road more often and for longer periods of time than many other types of distraction.
Don’t let Your Teen’s Last Words be a Text Message
Don’t let a unique, precious life be lost over a text message; educate your teens about distracted driving risks. Our Houston personal injury lawyers caution that messaging can always wait until a driver is not behind the wheel.
Drive safely. Pay attention to the road. Don’t text while driving. Avoid distractions that take your attention away from the complex task of driving. And if temporary distraction can’t be avoided, reduce your speed. The life you save could be your own.
Running Risks of Fatal Rollover Wrecks and Losing at Houston Intersections
Continued from Part 1. Research shows that over the last decade, the rate of fatal accidents at stoplights increased about 20%. For comparison, that rate of fatal crashes in general increased by only 6%. A large percentage of the 20% increase has been attributed to red light runners.
An increasing perscnetage of the drivers that hit innocent victims are uninsured or underinsured. So what do you do? Watch our video to learn how to cope with a wreck caused by an uninsured motorist.
The Houston personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC emphasize that collisions caused by drivers running red lights are more likely than other collisions to cause fatal injuries. Those crashes have a 47% fatality rate compared to a 33% fatality rate for other crashes. This has led to heavy-handed enforcement programs like the red light cameras that annoy just about everyone.
Speeding and DWI cause many Intersection Crashes due to Failure to Stop
Speeding and driving while intoxicated are behind many of the intersection crashes caused by drivers who failed to stop. And our Houston personal injury lawyers note that photo enforcement doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on these drivers.
In vehicles with speeding or drunk drivers, the occupants are also more likely to not be wearing seatbelts. In a high-speed rollover crash, these drivers and passengers can be ejected from the vehicles. And vehicle ejection in a crash results in death about 75% of the time.
Don’t run Fatal Risks: You Might Lose
Running a red light or a stop sign is not a risk worth taking. And compounding the risk by not wearing seatbelts only increases the likelihood of sudden death.
Don’t run fatal risks at intersections. The life you lose in that gamble could be your own. Our Houston personal injury lawyers urge you to educate your family members about the dangers of running through stops. Keep your family safe and together for the holidays. Always drive safely.
Driver Ran Fatal Risk Running through Intersection: 3 Dead, 2 Injured in Houston Rollover Collision early Saturday
Failure to stop at an intersection led to three needless deaths in a tragic, multiple fatality accident early on Saturday just before 4:30 a.m. The young driver of a green Mercury Mountaineer ran a fatal risk when he failed to stop at the intersection of North Houston Rosslyn Road and Romona and slammed into a gray Nissan Quest.
The heavy impact sent the Mercury Mountaineer into a rollover. 3 men in their 20s, the driver and two passengers of the Mercury Mountaineer, died at the scene of the rollover collision. Another passenger and the driver of the Nissan Quest received transport to the hospital for injuries from the collision. News reports did not mention whether the Mountaineer occupants wore seatbelts or whether the driver might have been speeding or intoxicated.
The sympathies of our Houston personal injury lawyers go out to the families of the three men who died in the tragic accident. Our hearts and prayers are with the two injured victims.
Learn More about Rollover Accidents, Why They Happen, and What They do to You
Click on this article by our Houston personal injury lawyers to learn more. And if you have questions or need help because you’ve been injured in one of these accidents, just call 281-369-4363 or contact us online for a completely FREE and confidential legal consultation. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And the counsel our Houston personal injury lawyers provide could be your key to making informed decisions about a better financial future after a catastrophic wreck has changed your life. Call today!
We all Lose when Drivers Run Fatal Risks by Running Red Lights and Running through Intersections without stopping at Stop Signs
Insurance companies that have to pay out on fatal wrecks and collision injuries, almost all of which could have been prevented, understandably keep tabs on when, why, and how accidents occur. The IIHS data indicates that around 1,000 died and 200,000 were injured in recent years because of drivers that took the fatal risk of failing to stop at intersections and lost.
Our Houston personal injury lawyers point out that about 15% of collisions resulting from a driver running a red light result in death or incapacitating injury. More than half of the fatal injuries claim the lives of innocent victims like pedestrians and the occupants of the vehicle struck by the driver that failed to stop.
To learn more about the causes of fatal intersection crashes and the huge rise in the number of fatalities from them, continue to Part 2.
Houston Hit and Run Wreck of Honda by Buick Park Avenue Injures 5
On Friday afternoon just before 2 p.m., a speeding driver in a car described as a green Buick Park Avenue rear-ended a Honda Civic at high speed. The impact occurred on Airline by the North Freeway and sent the Honda out of control. The Honda Civic then slammed into a tree. (Source: KPRC, click2houston.com, 12/14/12)
Five occupants of the Honda struck by the hit and run driver received transport to hospitals for their injuries. One of the injured victims was only 3 years old. The hearts and prayers of our Houston auto accident lawyers are with the injured victims of this terrible hit and run wreck. Reportedly, the driver of the green Buick Park Avenue did not stop to render aid, but instead fled the scene. Houston police are asking for your help if you have any information on this driver.
If you have Information about the Driver that left the Scene of the Hit and Run Wreck on Airline, Report it: Contact us anytime with your Important Information
Do you know the driver of the green Buick Park Avenue that caused the multi-injury Houston hit and run wreck on Friday? If so, report it right away. You can reach our Houston auto accident lawyers at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form anytime. You can reach the Houston Police Department at 713-247-4065. We make ongoing efforts to help accident victims and to help local authorities make our streets a safer place for all. If you have information that could help in these efforts, we ask that you report it right away.
Drivers that Flee Hit and Run Wrecks hurt Everyone
In many cases when an accident occurs, it’s critical that the accident victims receive medical attention as soon as possible. But drivers that flee the scene of the collisions they cause often leave their victims without recourse. Our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that especially at night when it may be some time before another passing driver notices and reports the wreck, the hit and run crime can result in more severe or fatal injuries.
Nationally, NHTSA data reveals that more than 10% of all motor vehicle collisions are listed as hit and run wrecks. That’s approximately 700,000 crashes per year. Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that in Houston, there are hundreds of hit and run crashes of varying severity every month, and only a small percentage of these cases are solved.
Drivers that cause injuries and fatalities in hit and run crashes should compensate their victims for the harm hey have caused. Texas law provides criminal penalties for fleeing the scene of an injury accident. And civil lawsuits provide a means for victims to obtain just financial compensation from those that have harmed them or their family members. When you know about a hit and run injury accident, your important information could help the injured victims obtain justice. Make a difference; report what you know.
Houston Auto Accident Lawyer on Running Fatal Risks Running Red Lights
Drivers that run red lights kill hundreds of people each year and seriously injure tens of thousands. Many of those drivers are drunk when the crashes occur. Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that many of the vehicles running red lights are speeding when the impacts occur at intersections.
For example, on Tuesday night around 10 p.m. a driver ran a red light in Houston at the intersection of the Texas State Route 8 frontage road and JFK Boulevard. A Pontiac Grand Am plowed into the side of a Dodge Avenger. The woman driving the Grand Am ended up in the hospital with serious injuries.
Drivers that run Red Lights Injure more than 100,000 People each Year
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said that in 2009 almost 700 people died in fatal traffic crashes because of drivers that run red lights. An additional 113,000 people received injuries in these accidents.
IIHS data further shows that when drivers run red lights and cause fatal accidents, 46% of the victims are occupants of the vehicles that the red light runners hit. Only 36% are the red light runners themselves. And our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that around 25% of those drivers are driving drunk. 10% of the drivers are teens.
Download our Houston Auto Accident Lawyers’ FREE Accident Book if you’ve been Seriously Injured in a Wreck caused by a Negligent Driver that ran a Red Light
Just click on the book icon on this web page to download your free copy of our informative book. It will give you the information you need to protect your rights and take the necessary steps to obtain fair compensation for your injuries after a serious accident caused by another person’s negligence. And don’t hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation legal consultation if you have questions about your specific injury accident. We’re here to help. Call 281-369-4363 or get in touch through our convenient online contact form.