On September 1, 2011, a new law went into effect in Texas that provides enhanced penalties in some DWI cases. When authorities find that drivers caught for DWI (driving while intoxicated) have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.15%, the possible punishment is twice as severe as under the old law.
Problems in greater Houston served as a major impetus for this new DWI law and its stiffer penalties. Tests found that the drivers involved in approximately 70% of fatal Houston road accidents in 2008 had BACs of at least 0.16%. That’s twice the legal limit. And that drunkenness was killing people on Houston roads at an astonishing rate.
Critics complained that the existing laws of the time had provided no difference in punishment for DWI offenders with BACs just over the legal limit and those with BACs hugely over the legal limit – enough to cause fatal DWI wrecks. The old law provided that a DWI first offender, even if their BAC was more than twice the legal limit, only received charges of a Class B misdemeanor. A Class B misdemeanor provides a fine of up to $2,000 and jail time of up to six months.
Under the new law that just went into effect, a DWI offender with a BAC of 0.15% or more will receive charges of a Class A misdemeanor, even if it’s the first offense. A Class A misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $4,000 and jail time of up to one year.
So penalties have doubled for those caught driving with a high BAC. Arguably, these penalties still aren’t high enough to make a real dent in the drunk driving problem in Texas. A biker in Katy, TX still retains a higher than average probability of suffering a motorcycle wreck and terrible injuries caused by a drunk driver.
Texas currently suffers the highest rate of fatal DWI wrecks of any state. And Harris County suffers the highest rate of fatal DWI wrecks in Texas. Only time will tell if the new DWI law helps reduce these rates.
The NHTSA released an interesting report in 2007 on trends regarding fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes. The agency based the report on an extensive study of 2005 fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes. Comparing the statistics found in the report with the stark data from a recent Orange County, TX fatal motorcycle crash, you might perceive an interesting overlap.
Motorcycle accident victims often have a lot in common. Unfortunately the thing they most likely will have in common are grave injuries or fatalities from their accidents. If you need help after a tragic motorcycle crash, either your own or a loved one’s, you can call on us for help.
We have a track record more than 12 years long of successfully helping injured victims and their families after traumatic motorcycle crashes. Call today for your free legal consultation. We could help you recover the financial compensation you need to pay for your expenses from the accident, and move forward with your life.
When you’re suffering because you’ve been severely injured in a motorcycle wreck or you’ve lost a loved one to a fatal motorcycle crash, the primary cost you concern yourself with might be the physical, emotional and financial toll the tragic accident takes on you and your family. You probably don’t have emotion to spare to consider the costs of the accident to others. But you pay for these costs, along with all of us, each time a fatal motorcycle accident occurs. The costs include the following.
Studies also reveal that unhelmeted riders cost society much more for care and treatment after their nike crashes, largely because of increased incidence of severe head and brain trauma. Only slightly more than half of unhelmeted riders have health insurance, and this rarely covers the full costs of their injuries. The State usually picks up the rest of the tab.
4-wheeled vehicles have more stability generally than 2-wheeled vehicles. Minor imperfections in the roads or in driving conditions that you never noticed behind the wheel of a car can cause serious, even fatal, motorcycle crashes. And, of course, the major road hazards (like hitting a highway embankment or running over a curb at high speed) that can cause a car rollover could likely prove fatal for the unwary biker. Here’s a list of some of the road hazards you’ll need to watch out for on your bike:
1. Slippery or slick surfaces – not just wet or icy pavement, but paint lines, wet leaves, oil slicks, or metal rail tracks;
2. Animals both small and large. A car can run over an armadillo or possum with impunity; you can’t. And hitting a deer can be fatal (it’s sometimes fatal to car occupants too);
3. Gravel – particularly on curves, turns and at speed;
4. Weather: snow, ice and standing water can cause deadly motorcycle crashes;
5. Raised obstructions like rails, railroad ties, raised lane separators (“city titties”), curbs and embankments;
6. Objects left in the road (like boxes, furniture, spilled cargo, signs, equipment, cones or trash);
7. Edge breaks between lanes of different heights, road expansion joints, pot holes, and bridge joints; and
8. Other uneven, irregular or rough road surfaces.
And, of course, you must always watch out for other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. If you’ve suffered injuries from motorcycle crashes and you have questions about your chances of collecting fair compensation for your losses, call our Galveston, TX attorney for motorcycle crashes today at (877) 307-9500 for a free legal consultation. You can also get our free book on motorcycle accident claims.
About 98% of motorcycle accidents with other vehicles result in injuries of some type. The most frequent types of injuries in a Texas motorcycle accident include:
* Road rash,
* Facial disfigurement,
* De-gloving injuries,
* Head injuries,
* Brain traumas,
* Neck and back injuries (including spinal cord injuries causing permanent paralysis),
* Broken bones,
* Internal organ damage,
* Burns,
* Decapitation, and
* Other amputations.
You can prevent or mitigate some injuries by use of a good motorcycle helmet and other protective clothing and gear. You can even purchase a personal airbag (though it’s not clear how much good these do for a biker). But on a motorcycle, you will always have more exposure to injury and fatality dangers from a crash than occupants of enclosed vehicles. Basically, on your bike you have no real outside protection from the hazards of the road. And most wrecks will eject you from your vehicle to suffer severe impact injuries, burns, and “road rash” at the very least.
After you’ve had a Texas motorcycle accident with injuries, you face an uphill battle to obtain the fair financial compensation that will enable you to cope with the expenses from your accident. Give us a call when you need help after a Texas motorcycle accident. We are Texas Board Certified personal injury attorneys with extensive experience (more than a dozen years) helping injured bikers to achieve their compensation goals after their motorcycle accidents. We are able trial litigators, so you’re not limited to whatever settlement a biker-prejudiced insurer or defendant will offer. So, if you’ve had an accident and need help, give us a call for your free legal consultation. You’ll be glad you did.
About 98% of motorcycle accidents with other vehicles result in injuries of some type. The most frequent types of injuries in a Texas motorcycle accident include:
* Road rash,
* Facial disfigurement,
* De-gloving injuries,
* Head injuries,
* Brain traumas,
* Neck and back injuries (including spinal cord injuries causing permanent paralysis),
* Broken bones,
* Internal organ damage,
* Burns,
* Decapitation, and
* Other amputations.
You can prevent or mitigate some injuries by use of a good motorcycle helmet and other protective clothing and gear. You can even purchase a personal airbag (though it’s not clear how much good these do for a biker). But on a motorcycle, you will always have more exposure to injury and fatality dangers from a crash than occupants of enclosed vehicles. Basically, on your bike you have no real outside protection from the hazards of the road. And most wrecks will eject you from your vehicle to suffer severe impact injuries, burns, and “road rash” at the very least.
After you’ve had a Texas motorcycle accident with injuries, you face an uphill battle to obtain the fair financial compensation that will enable you to cope with the expenses from your accident. Give us a call when you need help after a Texas motorcycle accident. We are Texas Board Certified personal injury attorneys with extensive experience (more than a dozen years) helping injured bikers to achieve their compensation goals after their motorcycle accidents. We are able trial litigators, so you’re not limited to whatever settlement a biker-prejudiced insurer or defendant will offer. So, if you’ve had an accident and need help, give us a call for your free legal consultation. You’ll be glad you did.
Because of their enormous size and mass, large trucks are inherently dangerous vehicles. Each year, more than 3,000 people are killed in accidents involving large trucks. 35% of these fatal accidents are caused by a trucker’s blind spot.
Blind spots, which are sometimes also called “no zones,” are located along the rear corners of a truck’s load, as well as directly behind them. Aptly named, these blind spots, or “no zones” are areas around a truck that the driver cannot see, even through their rear-view mirrors.
Other vehicles driving in a truck’s blind spot are at a huge risk for accident or injury. Truck drivers who cannot see the other cars traveling around them may unknowingly make quick or unsafe maneuvers such as:
These accidents most frequently have serious consequences for the smaller car. With commercial trucks weighing up to twenty times as much as the average vehicle, it’s not surprising that drivers and passengers of cars suffer 70% of serious injuries and fatalities in these Houston truck wrecks.
You can help to minimize your chances of being injured in a collision with a large truck by not driving in their blind spots. However, as with any type of accident, there is still the risk of negligent drivers who may make poor decisions regardless of your safe actions.
By virtue of agreeing to operate an enormous vehicle on some of the nations busiest highways, truck drivers have a huge responsibility. Drivers that do not take the utmost caution and care when operating their vehicles should be held accountable for their irresponsible actions.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a Texas truck accident, contact a personal injury attorney today. By taking legal action, you and your family may be able to recover damages to cover hospital bills, lost wages and much more.
At the law offices of Denena & Points, we offer free initial consultations to address your case. To set up your complementary appointment, call us today at (877) 307-9500.
If you are a Texas biker you likely think about motorcycle safety each time you go for a ride. Though some accidents are unavoidable, there are steps bikers can take to avoid many accidents. As a law firm handing different types of personal injuries and accidents, we have seen almost every type of Houston motorcycle injury and have compiled a list of the best ways to avoid an accident.
The best way to avoid an accident is to be prepared. Enjoy your ride but be aware of your surroundings. We hope that this awareness will help you avoid a serious accident.
Unfortunately, even the most cautious riders can be made victims if they meet a negligent or irresponsible driver on the road. If you or someone you know has been injured in motorcycle accident in Texas, seek legal help immediately.
The experienced and compassionate personal injury lawyers at the law offices of Denena & Points offer free initial consultations to hear your story and evaluate your case. Contact our Houston offices to set up your appointment by calling (877) 307-9500.
In an increasingly eco-conscious world where gas prices seem to increase exponentially, motorcycling has become an increasingly popular form of recreation and transportation.
However, many people do not consider the inherent danger that comes with riding a motorcycle.
Last year, motorcycle accidents accounted for over 7,500 serious injuries in the state of Texas alone. These numbers are estimated to have gone up in the last two years as more people have taken to this fuel-efficient form of transportation.
Most motorcycle accidents involve one car in addition to a motorcycle. Consequently, riders generally suffer much more severe injuries than the passengers inside cars. Without a steel frame to protect them from impact, motorcyclists run an extremely high risk of Houston motorcycle injuries, especially head or brain injury.
The long-term effects of head and brain injuries can be catastrophic and life altering. It is common for head and brain injury patients to experience:
All serious brain injuries come with serious emotional and financial consequences. Not only are victims subject to the ongoing pain and anguish of a life altering injury, they are also left to pay for the extensive medical bills and therapy required for rehabilitation.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle accident in the state of Texas, you shouldn’t have to pay for the immense stack of medical bills. By taking legal action, victims may be able to recover monetary compensation from responsible parties.
Speak with a motorcycle accident attorney today to learn how you can recover damages to pay for hospital bills, home restoration, lost wages and other costs or inconveniences resulting from your injury.
Call the law offices of Denena & Points today to set up a free initial consultation. Contact us at (877) 307-9500.
* About 70% of motorcycle accidents occur at intersections.
* In about two thirds of motorcycle crashes with another vehicle, that other vehicle violated the motorcyclist’s right of way.
* Bikers over 40 have chances more than 20 times that of over-40 drivers of other types of vehicles to suffer fatal accidents.
* Bikers die from accidents at about 37 times the rate of occupants of enclosed vehicles.
* Approximately 80% of crashes injure or kill a motorcyclist, but only about 20% injure or kill an enclosed vehicle occupant.
* In 2009, bikers accounted for 13% of fatal accidents, but only for 3% of registered vehicles on the roads.
* A large proportion of motorcycle accidents involve riders who have had their bikes for less than a month.
* Male victims of motorcycle crashes vastly outnumber female victims.
* Female victims of motorcycle accidents are more likely to be passengers than drivers of the bikes.
* About one third of motorcycle accident victims were intoxicated at the time of their wrecks.
* Single vehicle accidents represent approximately 50% of motorcycle wrecks.
Motorcycle accident statistics make for fascinating reading, especially if you actually own a bike. The NHTSA and IIHS represent particularly good sources for the latest research and statistics. While bikers have a legendary reputation for fearlessness among the general public, the sensible biker quietly fears for his safety on the roads, as well he should. The statistics above represent only a small sampling of the data that indicates just how much danger waits on the road for the average biker.
The greatest dangers seem to stem from the lack of awareness among drivers of larger vehicles regarding the smaller vehicles sharing the roads with them. About 2/3 of motorcycle crashes happen when the bike slams into the side of a bigger vehicle that failed to yield right of way and suddenly pulled out in front of the bike. Reports attribute most of these wrecks not to malice or callous disregard in the larger vehicle driver, but to his simple failure to really notice the bike. If you ride a motorcycle, work up a good healthy dose of fear. A certain amount of caution might just keep you safer on the roads.
And if you’re injured in a motorcycle accident, or you’ve lost loved ones to fatal accidents; call on us to help you in your time of need. Our Board Certified Pearland, TX personal injury lawyers have extensive experience successfully helping victims injured by vehicle crashes. We have the knowledge, sympathy, and ability for motorcycle claims that you won’t find among many other accident lawyers. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, you need someone who understands bikers, their needs and your special situation in a motorcycle accident. We understand. And we do all we legally can to help you recover the financial compensation to which you’re entitled by your accident injuries.