San Antonio Legal Blog

Accidents involving semi-tractor trailers claimed more than 4,000 lives around the country in 2017, and many of them occurred in Texas. The vast majority of the road users killed were either passenger vehicle occupants or pedestrians. Truck accident deaths have risen by 28% since 2009, but the rising death toll has not been enough to prompt federal regulators to implement rules that road safety experts say would save hundreds of lives each year.

Rear-end collisions involving large commercial vehicles are especially deadly as the truck drivers responsible are often distracted, fatigued, or impaired and traveling at highway speeds when they crash. Automatic emergency braking systems that are capable of preventing this type of truck accident have been available for many years, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ignored at least 10 calls from the National Transportation Safety Board to make them mandatory safety equipment in big rigs.

Many Texas residents will be happy to hear that fatal traffic accidents have continued to decrease. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there was a 2.4% drop in traffic deaths in the United States in 2018. This downward trend is also continuing in 2019. Technology used in newer vehicles seems to be playing a role in this decrease.

While this is definitely good news, there are still too many accidents that lead to serious injury and death. In the year 2018, over 36,000 people died on U.S. roads. Many of these crashes were preventable, so a lot of work still needs to be done.

Distracted driving is one of the most highly publicized threats on the road today in Texas, and many states have implemented harsh penalties for people who use their mobile phones and other devices while behind the wheel. One study released for Teen Driver Safety Week particularly highlights the behavior of teens on the road. Because teen drivers are less experienced and may be more reckless, distracted driving could potentially pose an even greater threat for teens. In addition, studies have shown that teens are more likely to drive distracted than people in other age groups and are also at higher risks for car accidents and serious injuries.

Researchers at Michigan State University studied 3,200 drivers between 2011 and 2013; they used in-car devices to monitor driving activity, safety incidents and the behaviors of drivers, including their engagement with distracting devices or other matters. They noted that this in-car evidence was crucial to their study, especially as many police reports taken after car crashes rely primarily on self-reported conduct, which can often be inaccurate. They mapped out multiple types of distracting behaviors, including over 60 different categories ranging from using the radio to surfing websites.

As a Texas motorist, you may be familiar with driving at night. Even as the sun sets, many people still fill the roadways. Whether you are coming home from work, traveling to work or are going to have dinner with friends, you may need to navigate the roads in the darkness. Doing so, however, puts you at risk for becoming involved in a deadly car accident. According to AAA, you are three times more likely to become involved in a fatal auto accident at night than you are during the day. What are the reasons for this increased risk?

The lack of natural light is the biggest contributor to the increased death rate. Without ample sunlight, people experience a deficit in their peripheral vision and depth perception. This is especially true for drivers over the age of 65 years old, as they need three times the amount of light to see properly. When driving at night, it is difficult to judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic. It is best to wait for all vehicles to pass and avoid pulling out in traffic.