What Are Common Houston Car Accidents

Common Houston car accidents can be categorized by the cause of the accident and what type of collision happened. It’s important to know the warning signs behind these common types of accidents in order to stay safe on the road. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2021 one person was injured every 2 minutes from car crashes.

Causes of Car Accidents

In Houston, driving under the influence and speeding causes a majority of car accidents that lead to catastrophic injuries and even deaths. Traffic accidents that occur from driving under the influence, such as drunk driving, often lead to more severe injuries and death to the victim and driver.

Drunk Driving

About 2,766 crashes were drunk driving-related. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has identified four impairments that affect drivers who drive under the influence that cause accidents:

1. Judgment – Judgment is needed in order to drive safely and make safe driving choices.
   • For example, a driver under the influence might think they can run through a stop sign because it’s late at night. They will not be thinking about the consequences that can come from running that stop sign.
2. Vision – Blurry vision is very common for drivers who drive drunk.
   • Impaired vision will affect a driver’s ability to determine the distance they are from certain objects or other vehicles. When pairing blurry vision with high speeds, this is a recipe for high-impact car collisions.
3. Color distinction – Paying attention to the varying colors of traffic lights and road signs.
   • For drunk drivers, it becomes difficult to pay attention to the different colors of traffic lights and recognize the road signs. This often leads to traffic violations and running red lights.
4. Reaction Time – Processing information is slower which makes impaired drivers very dangerous on the roads.
   • Driving drunk makes drivers drowsy and pay less attention to the road. This means they are ignoring speed limits, traffic signals, and other motor vehicles. With that being said, the driver reacting to potential hazards is severely affected.

Noticing the warning signs of drivers under the influence will help you avoid an accident and you can report it to the local police. Drivers that are under the influence may be seen swerving, drifting into other lanes not using a blinker, driving either slower or faster than the speed limit, and ignoring traffic laws. If you plan to go out and drink, it is important to set either a designated driver or use a rideshare service.

Speeding

Another contributing factor to Houston car accidents is drivers speeding. The Texas Department of Transportation has recorded that a majority of fatal crashes in Texas involved speeding over the limit. Speeding leads to more severe crashes especially when paired with distracted driving habits. Compared to other major cities like Austin (12,433), Dallas (35,355), and San Antonio (38,461), Houston had the highest number of crashes in 2021 at 66,988 nearly doubling the other cities.

If drivers text and drive while they are speeding, it increases the chance of a Houston car accident occurring. Looking down at your phone while moving at high speeds above 50 MPH, you can cover major distances. Many of the highways in Houston have speed limits of 75 MPH which can be a dangerous speed if drivers are using their phones.

Out Of Control – Houston Chronicle Article

The Houston Chronicle posted an article about the rise in Houston car accidents that are fatal.

• Long Commuting Times
  • Drivers spend more time on the roads to get to their destinations or work and most of that time is spent on the highways.
• Higher Speed Limits
  • Speed limits on most highways in Houston are 75 MPH which can lead to car accidents.
• Lack of Enforcement
  • Speeding tickets had been on the decline back in 2016 and have continued to see a decrease in speeding tickets issued in 2021.
• No Automated Enforcement
  • Texas politicians banned the use of photographic traffic enforcement systems back in 2019.
  • Texas Transportation Code 707.021 states that local authorities cannot issue a civil or criminal charge/citation for an offense or violation that comes from photographic traffic enforcement systems, like red-light cameras.

Types of Houston Car Accidents

Different types of car accident collisions can have different types of injuries and property damage occur. Depending on the reckless driving the at-fault driver participates in can result in different crashes, such as head-on collisions, side-impact collisions, and rear-end collisions.

Head-on collisions can be caused by drunk driving, drifting into oncoming traffic, and failing to pay attention to road safety signs. Depending on the speed of both cars as well as the size of the vehicles, these types of Houston car accidents can cause severe injuries or lead to death. Head-on collisions will smash the front ends of both cars involved and if there is a driver or passenger not wearing a seat belt, they can be thrown through the windshield.

Side-impact collisions, commonly referred to as T-bone accidents, can occur if a driver runs a red light, drives under the influence, and the driver isn’t paying attention when approaching an intersection or making a turn. Depending on the side the impact happens, the damages can vary. Obviously, if the driver’s side of the car is hit, the driver would sustain more severe injuries as opposed to if the passenger side is hit.

Rear-end collisions happen when the negligent driver isn’t paying attention and hits the back of another car. Tailgating is another cause of rear-end collisions and part of reckless driving. If you follow behind too closely to the car in front of you, that leaves no time to react to sudden stops. Especially if you are distracted while tailgating, you are increasing your chances for an accident to occur.

After a Houston Car Accident

If you have been injured in a car accident due to a negligent driver, our Houston car accident lawyers will be able to assist you. Houston car accident claims don’t have to be a stressful experience, our law firm provides assistance to injured car accident victims so they can focus on treating their injuries. Free consultation for your car accident claim is available 24/7.