2008 Texas Motor Vehicle Accident Facts

Every year, the Texas Department of Transportation collects information from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports and produces a series of Texas Motor Vehicle Crash fact sheets. The most recently available statistics are from 2008, and can be found on the Texas DOT’s website. The information about traffic accident injuries and fatalities contained in the various reports is sobering.

Texas motor vehicle accident facts

· More people were killed on Texas roads in 2008 than in 2007, but the difference was fairly small – seven people. In 2008, 3,468 people were killed in traffic accidents while 3,461 were killed in 2007.

· In 2008, somebody died every day on a Texas road; there were no days without a death that year.

· A total of 84,508 people were seriously injured in 61,954 Texas motor vehicle crashes in 2008.

· A total of 242,698 people were injured (all types of injuries) in traffic crashes in 2008.

· Texas drivers are driving more than last year. In 2008 a total of 245.264 billion vehicle miles were traveled, 1.46 percent more than in 2007.

· Rural crashes (1,877) account for more than half of all traffic fatalities (54.1 percent) in Texas.

· Single-vehicle run-off-the-road crashes were responsible for a surprising 32 percent of all motor vehicle traffic accident deaths in 2008. A total of 1.116 people were killed in these type of crashes.

· 829 people were killed in crashes related to an intersection or taking place in an intersection in 2008.

· Head-on collisions took the lives of 510 people in 2008.

· The deadliest day on Texas roads was August 8, 2008 when 32 people were killed in traffic accidents.

· There were two deadliest 2008 months in Texas; August and October tied for top honors with 320 deaths each.

Average traffic crash statistics

Did you know that in Texas in 2008…

· One person was killed every two hours and 32 minutes

· One person was injured every 2 minutes and 10 seconds

· One reportable crash happened every 72 seconds

· 56 percent of those killed in a motor vehicle accident were not using the appropriate restraint (i.e. no seat belt) when they died.

Additional motor vehicle accident statistics

· Motorcycle riders: 529 motorcycle riders (drivers and passengers) were killed in 2008, and 56 percent were not wearing a helmet when the crash happened.

· Pedestrians: Five percent more pedestrians were killed in 2008 than 2007, a total of 438.

· Cyclists: 48 cyclists were killed in 2008, a 4 percent decrease from the previous year.

· Drunk drivers: 975 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2008. These fatalities account for 28.1 percent of all people killed on Texas roads that year. The most common time for an alcohol-related crash to occur was between 2am and 3am, with Saturday being the most common day for such an accident.

Do you need help after a serious car or truck crash? Please contact the Houston based attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. Our experienced motor vehicle accident lawyers will meet with you and discuss your case for no cost or obligation.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C

1001 Texas Avenue, Suite 1020

Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713.224.7800

Fax: 713.224.7801