Texas traffic fatalities higher than anywhere else in the country
While traffic fatalities dipped slightly in Texas last year, the state takes the top spot in overall deaths.
Last year traffic fatalities in Texas dipped slightly, but not by enough to prevent it from becoming the state with the most overall traffic deaths based on recently released federal data. As the Houston Chronicle points out, the Lone Star State moved from second to top position after motor vehicle fatalities in California – which had formerly been the highest in the country – fell by six percent. While Texas’ traffic fatality rate on a per capita basis is not the highest in the country, it does rank particularly high for drunk driving fatalities. Houston and San Antonio, in particular, rank especially high for drunk driving deaths.
Texas has the most traffic fatalities
According to recently released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic fatalities in Texas in 2017 dipped by just two percent from 3,797 to 3,722. While that drop was a bit better than the national average, it wasn’t nearly as good as California’s six-percent drop. As a result, California fell to second place in terms of overall traffic fatalities while Texas moved into the top position.
On a per capita basis, both Texas and California fall closer to the national average. However, given the slow pace at which Texas traffic fatalities are declining – especially when compared to some other states – it is clear that more needs to be done to improve road safety.
Drunk driving deaths remain high
One area where Texas lags behind is in the area of drunk driving. While across the United States alcohol-related traffic fatalities fell by 1.1 percent in 2017, in Texas they fell by just 0.7 percent. Out of the 3,722 overall traffic deaths last year in the state, 1,468 were linked to drunk driving.
Some of Texas’ cities are notoriously bad for drunk driving. Houston, for example, has the highest traffic fatality rate of any major metro area in the country and the city ranks the highest in Texas for DUI-linked fatalities. San Antonio, however, is not much better. It has the second-most DUI fatalities of any city in the state. San Antonio’s DUI fatality rate, according to KENS 5 News, is 56 percent higher than other large Texas cities and an alarming 77 percent higher than the state average.
Personal injury law
Being involved in a motor vehicle accident can be both frightening and overwhelming, especially if the crash may have been caused by another driver’s negligence or recklessness. Anybody hurt in a crash should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. In many cases, injured crash victims have the right to pursue compensation, but without an attorney representing them the claims process can quickly become confusing and overly complex. An attorney can help clients understand what their rights are and how to most effectively pursue a claim.