Texas has a lot of wide-open roads, which might lead you to believe that they’re relatively safe. Unfortunately, that simply isn’t the case. In fact, in some parts of Texas car accident rates continue to climb. This is true for the Texas energy sector, which encompasses a lot of western and southern Texas, as well as some major metropolitan areas. Drivers in the Orange area aren’t immune.
Increased accident rates
In the energy sector, there were more than 205,000 car accidents in 2019. More than 1,600 people died as a result of these crashes. Making matters worse is the fact that these wrecks mark a 3% increase from 2018’s numbers. Many of these accidents are attributable to heavy trucks and work crews that can take motorists by surprise. But just like elsewhere in the state, there are all kinds of factors contributing to accidents in the energy sector, including distracted driving, tired driving, and drunk driving.
Initiatives aimed at increasing safety
The Texas Department of Transportation hopes to reduce the number of accidents seen statewide, including in the energy sector. To help spur those efforts, the Department is diving head-first into its yearly safe driving campaign, which utilizes all sorts of marketing strategies, including radio ads, social media, and billboards. The Department hopes that the campaign will remind motorists to slow down, avoid distractions, give other motorists plenty of space, and avoid drunk driving.
Find help when you need it
Of course, these public safety initiatives, while admirable, do very little for those who have already been injured in a car accident. For these individuals, there are more immediate needs, such as securing the compensation needed to offset lost wages, pay off medical expenses, and ease pain and suffering. While a personal injury lawsuit might be able to help with this, there’s something else it can do: deter negligent driving. Therefore, car accident victims can play their part in not only fighting for what they deserve, but also in fighting to preserve public safety.
