Texas Fatal Car Accident Facts and Statistics (2024)

Texas Car Accident Deaths

The COVID-19  pandemic kept people off the roads in 2020, resulting in a notable decrease in car accidents, although the number of people who died in those crashes went up. Car accident fatalities have decreased slightly since 2021, with only a 1% rise in 2022. Between 2022 and 2023, the state saw a welcome 2.8% decrease in fatal crashes.

By examining data from the Crash Records Information System (CRIS), we can learn that Texas saw 558,953 auto crashes in 2023, with the following details:

• There were 48,355 non-injury crashes
• There were 169,203 car accidents with injuries but no deaths
• There were 3,855 fatal accidents, down from 3,965 in 2022

An interesting statistic to consider alongside these crash facts is that the population of Texas continues to grow as people move here. We are the second-largest state in the U.S. based on the number of residents, with over 30,500,000 people living here. That’s a 1.6% increase between 2022 and 2023 alone.

Types and Causes of Fatal Car Accidents

There are a wide variety of types and causes of car accidents that may involve only a single vehicle or multiple ones. Accidents can also cause death for other drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. However, some types of crashes are most likely to cause a fatality, including:

• Head-on collisions: The deadliest type of crash, a head-on collision happens when two vehicles hit one another from opposite directions or when a single vehicle crashes into a stationary object.
• T-bone accidents: These are most common in intersections or when a vehicle pulls out into oncoming traffic, causing the front of one car to impact the side of the other. The collapsing car door or window may seriously injure the driver or passengers.
• Rollover crashes: When a vehicle tips onto its side or rolls completely onto its roof, passengers can be thrown out or be hit by objects inside the cabin.
• Rear-end collisions: Usually associated with whiplash, a high-speed rear-end crash can cause severe brain damage and death. The car can also be pushed into stationary objects or other vehicles, causing damage to the feet, legs, hands, and chest for drivers and front-seat passengers.
• Sideswipe crashes: Sideswipes can throw a car out of control, leading to additional impacts with stationary objects, leaving a bridge or the roadway, and rolling over.
• Underride accidents: These typically involve a commercial tractor-trailer. When the trailer does not have underride guards installed, it’s easy for a smaller vehicle to slide underneath the rear of the trailer if the driver cannot stop in time.

A large number of fatalities occur when accidents happen in intersections. For example, if a driver is waiting in the intersection to turn left, they may be T-boned by a car that ran a red light. They may also hit an oncoming vehicle if they fail to judge that car’s speed correctly. Finally, many left- and right-turning vehicles are rear-ended by drivers who fail to pay attention.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts Sheet for the most recent year of data, the deadliest factors in car accidents include:

• Distracted driving: Being distracted by a cell phone or other factor was associated with 484 deaths.
• Drunk driving: Alcohol was involved in over 25% of fatal accidents, causing a total of 1,163 deaths.
• Failure to use safety belts: A sobering 48% of people died in 2022 because they failed to use their seatbelts while driving.

Driving while drowsy or fatigued, driving recklessly, and speeding also contribute to the number of deaths on our roads and highways.

Who Is Most Likely to Die in a Texas Car Accident?

According to TxDOT’s report on Fatalities by Age, Person Type, and Gender, it’s most common for drivers between the ages of 19 and 24 to die behind the wheel. Specifically, males aged 20 to 35 years old have the highest likelihood of dying in a car accident, and females between 40 and 60 have the lowest chance.

Younger drivers tend to be more inexperienced and are often more distracted while operating a vehicle. They may also be less inclined to wear a seatbelt. On the other end of the age spectrum, drivers over the age of 72 are least likely to be killed in a car crash.

Fatal Car Accidents Don’t Just Involve Cars

Remember that it’s not just drivers and passengers who are killed in fatal accidents. Many pedestrians, bicycle riders, and motorcyclists die on Texas roads every day. Below are some statistics about these kinds of incidents taken from the TxDOT’s Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts Sheet:

• One person died in a traffic accident approximately every two hours of every day.
• Rural areas saw the highest rate of car accident fatalities, reporting over 51% of all deadly crashes.
• Over 1,470 people died in single-vehicle accidents.
• The deadliest date in 2022 was July 22, when 31 people died on Texas roads.
• Motorcycle riders died in 562 accidents, and 39% of them were not wearing helmets.
• Nearly 830 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents.
• Texas had the highest number of traffic fatalities in the nation in 2022, with 4,481 deaths.

As drivers, it’s critical that we all exercise care and caution when operating a vehicle. Watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists when navigating the streets of Houston, Dallas, or other large cities. In rural areas and highways, look out for smaller or slower-moving vehicles. Motorcycles are fast and sometimes hard to see, making it easy to pull in front of them and cause a deadly crash.

To minimize the risk to your own life, always wear a seatbelt in a car or truck and wear a helmet when on a motorcycle. Avoid using your cell phone when driving, which is against the law in Texas. Pay attention to traffic, road conditions, weather, and traffic signals. Never drink and drive, since a reduced ability to recognize what’s going on around you can make it harder to avoid an auto accident.

Contact The Mejia Law Firm If You’ve Been Affected by a Fatal Car Accident

Unfortunately, not a day goes by in Texas that there isn’t a fatal car accident somewhere in our state. Whether it’s long stretches of open highway across the Great Plains or congested roads in our metro areas, the death toll for drivers is high every year. When someone else is at fault for a loved one’s death in a wreck, you need help from a skilled Texas car accident lawyer to secure justice and compensation.

Losing a family member to the carelessness of a thoughtless driver can be devastating. You must deal with the grief of their death, but you also need to hold the at-fault party or parties accountable for their negligence. At The Mejia Law Firm, you can speak with a qualified car accident lawyer about seeking compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.

We listen compassionately to your story during a free initial consultation, then answer your questions about what to do next. We fight hard and protect your rights when the liable party refuses to pay. Contact us to arrange your free case review and learn more today.