Posted on July 10, 2018 in Uncategorized

Three people were killed on the evening of June 15 when a car veered into the wrong lane of RR12 near Bexar County, striking two vehicles in rapid succession. The driver of a Nissan Titan and the driver and passenger in a Lincoln MKX were pronounced dead at the scene, with the driver of a Chevy Traverse being treated and released from South Austin Medical Center. Unfortunately, these stories are all too common in wrong-way collisions, as front-end car crashes are some of the most deadly, with severe injuries and fatalities more common than people surviving unscathed. If you have been involved in a wrong-way or other front-end crash, you may be entitled to compensation for your suffering.

Frontal Collisions Are Deadly

Statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) show just how dangerous frontal collisions can be – in 2016, the most recent year where data is available, as many as 54 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities happened in frontal collisions, including wrong-way crashes. The next highest percentage of fatalities in single-vehicle accidents was rollover, but the percentages in that category are markedly lower, coming in around 35 percent for most of the fatality categories. If one examines multi-vehicle accidents, one can see that front-end collisions are still the most deadly, but the second most dangerous type was side collisions. Given the prevalence of T-bone and sideswipe crashes, this is perhaps to be expected.

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 Posted on July 05, 2018 in Uncategorized

June 13 saw a big rig overturned on westbound I-10, right at the exit to northbound Loop 1604, blocking traffic for miles. While no injuries were reported in this incident, and the road was ultimately cleared later that evening, 18 wheelers overturn to a degree that can be considered common, and it can very often prove disastrous if automobiles are caught in these troubles. Truck accidents claim a higher proportion of lives than standard car accidents do, simply because there is more weight involved in the crash.

Texas Statistics on Truck Crashes

If one examines the most recent available statistics regarding Texas truck crashes, one can immediately see that the fatalities are high, with only passenger vehicles (cars, pickups, and SUVs) and motorcycles having comparable numbers. While the high numbers of traffic deaths in passenger vehicles can at least partly be explained by sheer numbers on the roads, only motorcycle related and big rig related accidents (truck-tractor and semi-trailer trucks) have such disproportionately high fatality counts.

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 Posted on June 27, 2018 in Uncategorized

Texan summers are legendary for their heat, but what many people are unaware of is that summer is the deadliest season of the calendar in most years. Temperatures and weather can actually have an adverse effect on automobiles, causing damage or even injury, and inexperience and emotions can run high in the summer weather. Being extra careful can help minimize your risk of auto accidents on hot Texas roads.

Maintain Your Vehicle

Ensuring your car or truck is in good working order can go a long way toward lowering risk. Car parts like rubber hoses can become cracked or ill-fitting, which can lead to serious car trouble like leaking fluids or engine issues, and in extreme situations can lead to a loss of power steering or brakes. Tires are another item on a car that very commonly fail or become run-down in summer, which can be a problem if they blow out, or if they become worn down you may be more likely to hydroplane on wet pavement.

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 Posted on June 25, 2018 in Uncategorized

On the night of June 10, a single-vehicle crash on FM 476 near Somerset in Atascosa County cost a young man his life when his car rolled and wound up in a ditch near the side of the road. While there was no indication at the time that alcohol or other substances were involved, investigators did not rule it out, but either way, single-vehicle crashes, especially of the rollover variety, are commonly deadly even without substances in the equation.

Multiple Causes for Crashes

Rollover accidents of all types are far and away the most dangerous type of car crash. Only around 2 percent of all auto accidents in the most recent available data set are rollovers, but those accidents accounted for approximately 35 percent of all crash fatalities. If one examines the statistics on the fatalities themselves, one can also see that single-vehicle rollovers are far more deadly than multiple-vehicle accidents of the same type; the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports fatality rates for occupants in single-vehicle rollovers at an average of 31 percent of all crash deaths, while the percentage for vehicle occupants in multiple-vehicle rollovers is only 2 percent.

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 Posted on June 20, 2018 in Uncategorized

On the night of June 7, a man was struck by a driver in an extended-cab pickup truck near US 183 and Lava Hill Road, sustaining severe to life-threatening injuries in the incident. While he was taken to the hospital, the driver of the pickup fled the scene and as of this writing, has not been located. If this happens to you or to someone you love, it can be important to bring suit against the driver (if they can be located), so as to ensure that your medical bills can be covered.

Sharp Rise in Pedestrian Deaths

Texas has a problem in effectively protecting its pedestrians. Statistics tabulated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) show a 21.5 percent rise in pedestrian deaths in auto accidents between 2015 and 2016 (the most recent available data), which is a higher rise than average in most states. Texas posted the second highest number of pedestrian fatalities in 2016, with only California experiencing more.

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 Posted on June 18, 2018 in Uncategorized

The ramp between I-35 South to I-10 West in San Antonio is known as the Finesilver Curve, and it is very common to witness accidents there at all hours. On June 4, traffic was slowed nearly the entire second half of the day due to an 18-wheeler crash just off the ramp itself. No injuries were reported, but this is frequently not the case when big rigs crash. Truck accidents are responsible for significant numbers of fatalities and injuries each year, and if you wind up in such a situation, you need to know just how to bring suit to receive compensation for any injuries.

Stagnation in Numbers

While the total number of fatalities in large truck accidents has actually decreased (for the most part) in the last decade, the most recent available data still shows 4,564 fatalities in 4,075 crashes in 2016 and approximately 180,000 injuries in 119,000 crashes in the same year. This is roughly similar to figures from the previous five years, which may have any number of causes, from increased efficacy of highway safety programs to higher standards required by trucking companies from their employees in terms of maintenance and documentation.

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 Posted on June 13, 2018 in Uncategorized

On May 14, an 18-wheeler jackknifed onto the access road of I-35, near Loop 410, after the driver lost control of the vehicle due to the slick roads. The truck remained upright, though at one point firefighters were called, as a minor fuel spill created the risk of fire after making contact with a battery. These types of accidents are not ubiquitous, but they are definitely not uncommon, especially in inclement weather, as 18-wheelers are notoriously difficult to handle even for experienced drivers.

Truck Statistics Are Sobering

While Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) statistics only show approximately 400 fatal crashes involving a truck or semi-truck in 2016, this does not count the number of fatalities, only the number of accidents. If one examines the statistics for the number of crashes which produced injury (both incapacitating and non-incapacitating), the number is closer to 3,000, and that also does not illustrate the total number of injuries, only crashes.

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 Posted on June 11, 2018 in Uncategorized

On April 27, a Round Rock police officer who had been struck by an intoxicated motorist in a crash two months prior passed away from complications of those injuries. This has led to new charges for the motorist already in custody on the ground of intoxication manslaughter. As of this writing, the officer’s family has not stated any plan to sue the driver for wrongful death, but if you are so unfortunate as to be in such a situation, you may be able to do so.

Wrongful Death

Texas law recognizes two types of wrongful death lawsuits. A standard wrongful death suit benefits the deceased person’s immediate family members – usually the parents, children, and spouse, if they exist. Wrongful death is a cause of action based in negligence law, and to establish a case against a specific defendant, you must be able to show that they caused your loved one’s death due to their (or their agent’s) negligence, recklessness or generally wrongful act. Establishing negligence means that you must be able to show the defendant breached the general duty of care owed to you by that person, and that no other cause intervened between their conduct and your harm.

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 Posted on June 06, 2018 in Uncategorized

Motorists on Round Rock’s Greenlawn Boulevard were surprised on May 22, when a car came speeding through the neighborhood, slamming into the side of a parked car and hitting several others before coming to a stop. Police stated that the driver was stopped, but not arrested – however, any more property damage or injury and an arrest might have been forthcoming. Side collisions can cause significant damage to people and things, despite the casual reputation they often have.

Sideswipe Collisions Make Up High Percentage of Casualties

Approximately 20 percent of all deaths in single-vehicle auto accidents are due to side-swipe accidents, with the percentage climbing to 32 percent in multi-vehicle accidents. There are multiple potential causes of such collisions, but recklessness and negligence do figure prominently in the list. Other potential reasons include distracted driving and substance abuse, but the majority of such accidents are largely due to driver error.

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 Posted on June 04, 2018 in Uncategorized

On the night of May 22, one motorcyclist was killed and one injured as a pickup truck struck them both on the shoulder of Old Corpus Christi Road. The cyclists had pulled over to try and fix a problem with one of the bikes, but apparently, the driver of the pickup truck was not able to see them. One motorcyclist died at the scene, a 35-year old man, and a younger man was airlifted to San Antonio Military Medical Hospital with “life-threatening” injuries. While this accident is obviously a tragedy, it is somewhat unusual in that most motorcycle-related accidents occur when both vehicles are in motion. Texas roads can be more dangerous for motorcycle riders than any other vehicle operators.

Multiple Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents

While accidents simply happen sometimes, there are common causes which may precipitate accidents more often than might otherwise occur. A significant portion of motorcycle accidents, especially in Texas, with its high-speed limits, can be put down at least partially to visibility issues. The wreck on Old Corpus Christi Road can partially be ascribed to visibility problems, but more normally, visibility will be an issue in terms of seeing a motorcycle in a car or truck’s “blind spot,” or simply missing it because of its slim frame and light weight. Some motorcyclists will also lane split (share a lane with an automobile), despite its questionable legality in Texas, which can make them hard to see.

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