Top 5 Causes of Texas Car and Truck Accidents

There are a myriad of factors that contribute to car and truck accidents in Texas. Causes include everything from a wild animal in the road (5,623 crashes) to failing to yield at a stop sign (26,922 crashes). What is interesting is that the top contributing factors to auto accidents varies depending on whether the accident was in a rural or urban location.

Excessive speed and driver inattention are the top two contributing factors in rural situations, however in urban settings accidents are more likely to be caused by tailgating or failure to yield on a left turn. Surprisingly, faulty evasive action was the only top 5 contributing factor that urban and rural crashes had in common.

Top 5 Contributing Factors to Statewide Crashes

Below is a list of the top 5 factors that contributed to a motor vehicle crash in Texas, ordered by the total number of crashes:

1. Failure to control speed: 123,054 total crashes with 450 fatalities and 15,971 serious injuries
2. Driver inattention: 101,595 total crashes with 397 fatalities and 12,585 serious injuries
3. Faulty evasive action: 30,618 total crashes with 345 fatalities and 5,923 serious injuries
4. Failure to drive in a single lane: 30,552 total crashes with 464 fatalities and 5,118 serious injuries
5. Failure to yield when turning left: 29,581 total crashes with 104 fatalities and 5,103 serious injuries

Top 5 Contributing Factors to Urban Crashes

In order of the number of total crashes, below are the top 10 contributing factors to urban Texas motor vehicle accidents:

1. Following too closely: 26,759 total crashes with 9 killed and 2,390 seriously injured
2. Failure to yield on a left turn: 25,391 total crashes with 65 killed and 4,313 seriously injured
3. Faulty evasive action: 20,144 total crashes with 104 killed and 3,354 seriously injured
4. “Other” factors: 19,448 total crashes with 90 killed and 2,823 seriously injured
5. Under the influence of alcohol: 10,125 total crashes with 236 killed and 2,177 seriously injured

Top 5 Contributing Factors to Rural Crashes

In order of the number of total crashes, below are the top 10 contributing factors to rural Texas motor vehicle accidents:

1. Failure to control speed: 23,916 total crashes with 145 dead and 3,573 seriously injured
2. Driver Inattention: 21,454 total crashes with 235 dead and 3,628 seriously injured
3. Traveling at an unsafe speed (under the limit): 18,714 total crashes with 362 dead and 4,315 seriously injured
4. Faulty evasive action: 10,474 total crashes with 241 dead and 2,569 seriously injured
5. Failure to drive in a single lane: 7,384 total crashes with 208 dead and 1,675 seriously injured

To get experienced help with your car, truck, or tractor trailer accident injury case, please contact the lawyers at the Houston based Vujasinovic & Beckcom law offices today.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C

1001 Texas Avenue, Suite 1020

Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713.224.7800

Fax: 713.224.7801