Car accidents endanger lives, and knowing how to avoid them is key to your safety and welfare. Obeying the rules of the road, making safety your top priority, and better understanding when you are most at risk can all help you and your family stay safe out there. If the carelessness of another driver does leave you injured, don’t delay consulting with an experienced accident lawyer in Corpus Christi, Texas.
What’s In This Guide
- Texas Highway Accident Statistics
- The National Statistics
- Staying Safe behind the Wheel
- If You’re Injured by Another Driver’s Negligence
Texas Highway Accident Statistics
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) shares the following statistics for traffic accidents in 2019 according to where they happened:
- There were 1,449 traffic fatalities on US & State Highways throughout Texas.
- There were 611 traffic fatalities on Interstates throughout Texas.
- There were 743 traffic fatalities on city streets throughout the state.
- There were 240 fatalities on county roads throughout the state.
While these numbers do not account for the number of miles driven or the number of vehicles traveling, it is considerably more dangerous to travel on highways in Texas than it is to choose city streets (in terms of numbers alone).
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The National Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares all the following statistics related to rural vs. urban traffic:
- Only 30 percent of the total miles traveled in 2018 were in rural areas, but 45 percent of all traffic fatalities that year happened in rural areas, while 53 percent happened in urban areas.
- From 2009 to 2018, fatal rural traffic accidents decreased by 15 percent while urban traffic accidents increased by 34 percent.
- In 2018, the fatal traffic accident rate for 100 million vehicle miles traveled was a full 2 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas.
- Fatal accidents related to excess speed were nearly equally divided between urban and rural areas in 2018.
- Fatalities related to impairment in rural areas decreased by 23 percent from 2009 to 2018, while they increased by 23 percent in urban areas.
Staying Safe behind the Wheel
Some steps you can take to help ensure that you and your loved ones stay safe on the road include the following:
- Remember that more fatal accidents happen on highways and that proportionally more fatal accidents happen in rural areas (as opposed to urban areas), and plan accordingly.
- Always follow the rules of the road, and drive defensively, which includes being on the lookout for dangerous drivers in your midst and making safe driving decisions in response.
- Buckle up for every trip and ensure that everyone else in your vehicle is also buckled up.
- Make it your practice not to drink and drive.
- Obey the speed limit and reduce your speed downward in response to bad weather or any other adverse condition you encounter on the road.
- Put your phone away and avoid all driving distractions.
If You’re Injured by Another Driver’s Negligence
If another driver’s negligence does leave you injured in a car accident – regardless of where it happens – there are several important steps you should take to help protect both your recovery and your car accident claim.
Get Checked Out
Even if you do not think you were seriously injured by the accident’s impact, seek medical attention soon afterward. Far too many serious injuries are slow to become symptomatic, and your prognosis improves significantly with early diagnosis. Further, the shock and adrenaline rush you experience post-accident can significantly mask your pain and other symptoms, which makes receiving medical attention earlier rather than later that much more important. It’s also important to carefully follow your doctor’s advice and medical instructions. This not only has the potential to improve your health outcome but also sends a strong message to the insurance company that your injuries are serious and that they should take them seriously.
Consult with an Experienced Car Accident Attorney as Soon after the Accident as Possible
Car accident claims are legally complicated, and the sooner you begin working with a dedicated car accident attorney, the better protected yours will be. Your attorney will help to gather all the evidence relevant to your claim, including eyewitness testimony, in a focused effort to protect your legal rights and to build your strongest claim – in pursuit of just compensation that covers your complete losses (or legal damages).
Leave the Insurance Company to Your Attorney
While it is true that you are looking to the insurance company to cover the losses you’ve experienced as a result of their policyholder’s negligence, it’s important to recognize that it is driven by profits and that it will do whatever it needs to do to keep those profits healthy. As such, it’s in your best interests to leave the insurance company to your seasoned car accident attorney. Keep in mind that you are not required to provide the insurance company with a formal statement, and you’re better off leaving that to your car accident attorney. It’s also a good idea to kick social media to the curb while your claim is pending – the insurance company is waiting for you to post something it can reinterpret to harm your claim. By not posting, you can nip that in the bud.
Be Wary of the Insurance Company’s Tactics
Because the insurance company is driven by profits, it’s important for you to be on the lookout for tactics that are designed to trip you up, including:
- An early settlement offer (that is almost certainly too low)
- An artificially long or complicated claims process
- Blame shifting (from their policyholder to you)
- Denial of losses
- Baseless claim denial
[Question] Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer in Austin?
Discuss the Specifics of Your Claim with an Experienced Texas Car Accident Attorney
If another driver’s negligence leaves you harmed – whether on a highway or city street – the focused car accident attorneys at The Patel Firm have reserves of experience helping clients like you recover on their full range of losses – in pursuit of their most complete recoveries – and we’re on your side. Learn more about how we can help by contacting or calling us at 361-400-2036 today
