Our Eagle Ford Shale truck accident lawyers write frequently about the alarming and growing number of serious and fatal traffic accidents in the Permian Basin and the Eagle Ford Shale areas of Texas. The two areas present high risks of fatal traffic accidents due to the huge amount of heavy truck traffic that services the oil and gas extraction and distribution process. The two regions host networks of narrow, rural highways that never anticipated the enormous number of heavy trucks that would constantly traverse the areas.
A single oil well might require 1500 truck trips to facilitate the fracking process of extracting oil and gas. Fracking involves pumping large amounts of water into the ground to force the trapped oil and gas outward for easy extraction. So the oil and gas companies not only need trucks to carry away the oil and gas they produce; they also need trucks to bring in the water and carry the pumps and other heavy equipment that they require to get the job done. Add to the mix the increased traffic from local residents and other workers involved in supporting the oil and gas companies and their workers, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Why so Many Serious and Fatal Traffic Accidents?
Commuters trying to cross the rural highways and get home or get to important appointments get frustrated and take risks they maybe shouldn’t to get to where they’re going. Our Eagle Ford Shale truck accident lawyers point out that truck drivers and oil and gas workers heading out after shifts that could last 20 hours or more might make mistakes or nod off behind the wheel due to fatigue. TxDOT is installing rumble strips at the shoulders of some rural highways to help wake drowsy drivers in danger of veering from the roadway and crashing.
According to a special report from News West 9, the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance has said that 8,695 accidents occurred in the Permian Basin in 2012. 147 people died in fatal traffic accidents. Risks were slightly higher for drivers in Midland County than for those in Ector County.
The 6 Most Dangerous Intersections in Texas
TxDOT data indicated that the 6 highest-risk intersections to avoid are:
- Highway 385 and South Loop 338 in Ector County,
- FM 1788 and I-20 in Midland County,
- Loop 250 and North Garfield Street,
- Loop 250 at I-20,
- Loop 250 and Highway 191, and
- Loop 338 and Yukon Road.
(Source: Josh Navarro, newswest9.com, 4/25/13)
Learn about Your Risks of Serious and Fatal Traffic Accidents in Texas’ Booming Oil-Producing Regions
Click on the link to read an important article by our Eagle Ford Shale truck accident lawyers. And if you need help after a serious accident injury, don’t hesitate to contact the Eagle Ford Shale truck accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC for a free and confidential, no obligation legal consultation. Get in touch with us at 281-369-4363 or just fill out our convenient online contact form. You can get started finding the answers you need by downloading a free copy of our informative guide on what to do after a serious accident has injured you or a loved one.
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