According to Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts, 254,853 people were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2017. Car wrecks are dangerous and can potentially be deadly. Here are 5 places where car wrecks happen [1].
Busy Two-Lane Roads
Roads in non-residential areas which have moderate speed limits are prime places for head-on collisions. Because there is only one lane for traveling in either direction there is little to no margin of error for overcorrecting. Also, everyone knows that driver who can’t stand driving behind a slower car, the one who wants to move over and speed pass them. This is also a factor in two land car wrecks as it can be difficult to judge if the other lane is free from oncoming cars.
Parking Lots
Who would think a parked car could cause so much trouble? Parking lots are a hotbed of fender benders because there are few or no traffic rules. Add to this the chaos of dozens or hundreds of cars coming in and out and parking in close proximity to one another, and the result is a perfect environment for cosmetic damages ranging from dings in the bumper to paint scratches. It seems dangerous enough but add pedestrians in the mix and there is another potential issue for car wrecks. In 2017, pedestrian fatalities totaled 614 in Texas [2].
Rural Areas
They may seem safe but rural crashes are often a site of one-car crashes. Fatalities and traffic crashes in rural areas of Texas accounted for 52.4% of the state’s traffic fatalities. There were 1,950 deaths in rural traffic crashes in 2017 alone. But why? The cause is simply driver inattention. When a driver isn’t paying attention to the road as a result of boredom, that makes the ability to stop suddenly a problem which can result in cars running off the side of the road. On top of that, spotty roadway maintenance and occasional road debris can also cause accidents.
Stoplights
Most people wouldn’t think an accident would happen at a stop light, but rear-end collisions are quite common. Rear-end collisions happen when drivers fail to stop in time for a vehicle in front of them. This could happen through distracted driving or drowsy driving. If the initial impact takes place further away from the stoplight, it can cause a chain reaction accident affecting many other drivers and their vehicles.
Intersections
In 2017, 761 people were killed in crashes occurring in Texas intersections or related to an intersection. Intersections produce more crashes because of the simple fact that two directions of traffic have to pass in one big area [3]. More problems arise if the intersection is unregulated or only has stop or yield signs to regulate traffic flow. The most common type of accident in intersections are side-impact collisions. Side-impact collisions frequently occur in intersections when a vehicle attempts to make a left turn or cross a busy road.
Car wrecks can put a serious damper on things. With the holiday season in full swing, it’s no fun having to deal with growing hospital bills on your own. Let Shamieh Law help. Our car accident law firm will fight aggressively to make sure the responsible parties and their insurers are held accountable. This includes getting you the compensation you and your family deserve.
If you’ve been involved in a car wreck, contact us today.