Last Updated on: 22nd November 2023, 05:31 pm
2023 is on track to become the deadliest year for auto accidents in Texas, according to recent data analysis.
San Antonio and McAllen based Patino Law, a personal injury firm, examined January to September 2023 crash data using the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Crash Records Information System (C.R.I.S.).
The study uncovered alarming statistics: Total crashes rose from 464,555 in the same period in 2022 to 468,850 in 2023. More concerning is the 20% increase in fatalities, from 2,646 to 3,180.
TxDOT’s Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts annually reports injury severity and the frequency of fatalities. Since 2012, when a person was killed every two hours and 34 minutes, the rate has increased. In 2022, it was one death every one hour and 57 minutes.
For 2023, fatalities occurred every one hour and 50 minutes. With historical trends indicating a rise in fatalities towards year-end, 2023 is expected to exceed the monthly average of 370 deaths observed in 2022.
This surge in fatalities coincides with the second anniversary of TxDOT’s #EndTheStreakTX campaign, which aims to end the tragic record of no deathless day on Texas roads since November 7th, 2000.
A mock funeral was held by TxDOT’s Pharr District on November 2nd, 2023, emphasising the perils of distracted and impaired driving, with speeding as the most cited primary factor in crashes.
Speeding was responsible for 89,529 of the 468,850 accidents reported in the first nine months of 2023, contributing to 22% of total crashes.
Dr. Louis Patino, founder of Patino Law Firm, commented, “This data presents a sobering reality and highlights the urgent need for change if we are to address the increase in accident fatalities and finally break the streak of no deathless days on our roads.
Initiatives can only achieve so much and government officials are not the only parties responsible. We all have our part to play as motorists, passengers, and pedestrians and must remember that our actions can have devastating consequences. It is far too easy to look at numbers and become detached, but we must never forget that every fatality represents a loss that leaves a permanent mark on the lives of families all across our state.”
The Patino Law Firm’s comprehensive study also examines vehicle types involved in accidents, the most hazardous roads and counties, and top charges against drivers. The full Up-to-Date Guide to Auto Accidents in Texas report is available on their website.
