Common Causes of Car Accidents in Texas


These common causes of car accidents in Texas can leave you severely injured. Holding a liable party financially responsible for property and personal damages in a San Antonio car accident may be possible. Proving a driver’s negligence for the following actions must occur for you to receive compensation.

Speeding

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), speeding is a factor in over 160,000 car crashes in Texas annually. Speed-related crashes resulted in 1,456 fatalities. Car accidents in Texas resulting from speeding are preventable.

In some cases, driving the speed limit may be dangerous. The weather significantly impacts how fast you should drive. Driving the speed limit when traffic is heavy, road conditions are declining, or in a work zone may lead to charges of driving too fast for conditions or speeding in a construction area.

Distracted Driving

Any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from operating a motor vehicle leads to distraction. Eating, talking to passengers, adjusting navigational or music devices, and grooming are common distractions that cause car accidents in Texas. However, the most common distraction for drivers is using a handheld device while driving.

Texas cell phone laws prohibit drivers from sending and receiving texts, using a handheld device in school zones, and prevent anyone under 18 from using a cell phone and driving simultaneously. San Antonio also enforces a hands-free ordinance.

Driving While Intoxicated

Accidents occurring while operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both are also preventable. Over 14,000 fatalities in Texas taking place over a decade are the result of DUI driving.

Driving under the influence of prescription drugs containing safety warnings addressing operating a motor vehicle can lead to car accidents in Texas. Having a prescription for a drug does not prevent drivers from facing negligence charges if they cause an accident and harm while using a medication.

Fatigued Driving

San Antonio’s growth and economic development keep city highways humming around the clock. According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), fatigued driving accounts for approximately 100,000 car crashes annually. These accidents result in 71,000 injuries and 1,550 preventable deaths. Whether driving home for work or attending your child’s school activity, fatigued driving in Texas can prevent you and others from ever reaching a destination.

Improper Lane Changes

Unsafely changing lanes commonly leads to Texas car accidents and may be due to the following:

  • Failing to signal
  • Neglecting blind spots
  • Abruptly changing lanes

In Texas, ride-under incidents can occur due to improper lane changes, leading to San Antonio truck accidents. Underride accidents can occur at the rear or side of a truck. Any driver may initiate a sideswipe accident when improperly changing lanes.

Failure to Yield Right-of-Way

Following laws that establish right-of-way for roadway users is pivotal to highway safety in San Antonio. Car accidents may occur when drivers fail to yield right-of-way when turning left across traffic or entering roadways from driveways, parking lots, or on-ramps on the freeway. San Antonio motorcycle accidents may produce significant injury due to a driver’s failure to yield.

Many Texas Car Accidents are Preventable

The most recent Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts indicate that over 18,000 people annually sustain a serious injury in a Texas traffic crash. A death occurred every day on Texas highways during the reported calendar year. Help is available if you or someone you care for suffers injuries in a Texas car crash.