Dallas Hit-and-Run Accidents on the Rise
According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) [1], pedestrian, cyclist, and hit-and-run fatalities are on the rise throughout the United States. While New York and Los Angeles are home to the highest number of incidents, Dallas isn’t far behind. The Texas Department of Transportation reports that Dallas saw 5,388 hit-and-run accidents in 2013, compared to 2,766 in 2012. This means that hit-and-run accidents nearly doubled in just one year, and this trend has continued. In order to better understand hit-and-run accidents in Dallas, it is important to recognize that the city is the leader in the number of drunk driving accidents that take place every year. Being under the influence is a top motivator for hit-and-run accidents, but it’s not the only reason these types of accidents take place.
Dallas Bartending Staple Dies in Hit-and-Run
Over the weekend, popular Dallas bartender Ian Brooks died in a hit-and-run accident while driving home from work early Saturday morning [2]. Brooks was riding his motorcycle on the Central Expressway in North Dallas when he was hit from behind by another vehicle near the Walnut Hill lane exit at around 3:40 a.m. The impact of the collision resulted in Brooks being thrown from his motorcycle and killed. Brooks was not wearing a helmet.
The driver of the vehicle who hit him fled the scene and has not been found by police at the time of writing. Brooks had gained a reputation as a dedicated and talented bartender in the Dallas dining scene, working in various restaurants through North and West Dallas before landing at Brick & Bones, where he quickly made a name for himself. Due to the events over the weekend, Brick & Bones announced it will be closed through May 24th.
Dallas Ranks 8th In Hit-and-Run Accidents
As we’ve mentioned, deaths as a result of hit-and-run accidents have reached an all-time high, and Texas is listed as having the 8th highest rate of these types of crashes in the United States. According to AAA, on average there have been 682,000 hit-and-run crashes every year since 2006. An estimated 65 percent of those killed in these types of accidents were pedestrians or cyclists. Because of this, AAA and other organizations throughout the country are calling for drivers to be more alert and do what they can to avoid deadly accidents like these.
Dallas highways are notoriously dangerous, resulting in more accidents than nearly anywhere else in the U.S. As Dallas car accident attorneys, we have seen it all over the years. We understand how your world can be flipped upside down in the blink of an eye and are here to help. If you’ve been involved in a hit-and-run accident in the Dallas area, please contact Shamieh Law today. Our experienced team of lawyers will sit down with you and discuss your case, making sure we understand what you’ve been through and how we can help.