TxDOT estimates last year’s economic loss in Texas from fatal motor vehicle crashes at $26 billion, the highest amount of any year in the decade reported. And that number was calculated using 2011 costs rather than the probably higher 2012 costs. The next highest loss was in 2011 at just over 23 billion. The Houston car accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that the estimates were calculated using the National Safety Council’s average economic cost on a per death basis.
2012 also showed the largest percentage increase in the number of fatal accidents reported. There were 3,399 fatalities, up 10.82% over 2011’s 3,067 traffic deaths. Prior to last year, the accident fatality numbers had been decreasing steadily over the last decade, with only slight increases of 0.49% in 2008 and 0.23% in 2011. There was actually a decrease of 10. 26% in 2009.
During the 10-year period studied by TxDOT, the greatest increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled was in 2004, with a 5.10% increase. Yet 2004 traffic deaths in Texas decreased by 3.19% over the prior year. 2012 only saw a 1.34% increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled, but an almost 11% increase in the number of traffic deaths. (TxDOT: Comparison of Motor Vehicle Traffic Deaths, Vehicle Miles, Death Rates, and Economic Loss 2003 – 2012)
Why are the Numbers of Fatal Texas Accidents and Their Costs Rising?
So where did we go wrong last year? The numbers of trucks on our Texas roads have been steadily increasing with the shale oil boom, but the increased number of fatalities doesn’t seem to be closely tied to truck traffic.
Our Houston car accident injury attorneys point out that DUI is a serious problem in Texas, accounting for nearly one out of every three traffic deaths. Speeding was a factor in many crashes, almost 23,000 on rural roads and about 73,000 on urban roads. Driver inattention and distraction accounted for almost 20,000 rural wrecks and nearly 86,000 in urban areas.
Clearly we need to focus our attention back on the road when we’re behind the wheel, slow down, and stop drinking and driving. These dangerous driving behaviors are a challenge to resolve. I understand completely the temptation to check texts and talk on the cell phone while driving. And in Texas, the distances between places are often so great, you want to speed up to save time and get where you’re going. But unfortunately, speeding often means you won’t get there at all. And Texas is a driving culture. The car is often the only way to get to and from a place. To avoid DUI, you have to plan in advance and arrange for a safe way to get home.
How Economic Loss from Vehicle Crashes Might Affect You
The economic loss numbers from crashes, when they’re on the printed page, don’t look like they belong to you. It’s not until you or your family members are affected by a serious crash that it really hits home how much personal and financial hardship a person faces after a major injury accident.
Our Houston car accident injury attorneys realize that medical bills, funeral costs, ongoing medical treatment expenses, loss of income, vehicle repair or replacement, surgeries, medications, physical rehab therapies, pain and suffering, lost or changed family relationships, and other unanticipated costs or losses can leave a person or an entire family suddenly despairing and facing a very uncertain future.
Contact the Houston Car Accident Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a FREE Consultation after Your Serious injury Accident
Our Board Certified attorneys could help you determine who was at fault for the accident, what your legal options are for obtaining the financial compensation you deserve, and your eligibility for a full financial recovery for your injuries. Call us at 713-807-9500 or simply fill out our online contact form to schedule your free, no obligation initial legal consultation. Put our more than 12 years of experience with complex Texas accident cases to work for your family’s benefit.