Houston Personal Injury Blog

Road rage is a persistent problem in Texas and other states. One study estimated that fatal crashes related to road rage have increased by 500% in the last 10 years. Other reports have found that incidents of drivers showing or firing guns have also increased. Unfortunately, such incidents make the roads more dangerous for all drivers.

A poll from the American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety revealed that 80% of those questioned felt serious anger at least once while driving during the past year. Among those surveyed, 33% of drivers made rude gestures while on the road, 47% yelled at other drivers, 45% honked their horns and 51% purposefully drove closely behind another vehicle.

Trucking accidents can be particularly devastating to other motorists sharing the Texas roads. Because of the size, weight and volume of 18-wheeler trucks, these vehicles are more likely to cause fatalities in accidents. Of the 4,102 people killed in truck crashes in 2017, 82% of the victims were pedestrians, cyclists or occupants of smaller passenger vehicles. Some types of truck collisions are even more likely to be fatal. For example, crashes where people are crushed in the exposed area on the truck's side between the front and rear wheels can be particularly catastrophic.

Between 2005 and 2009, 556 pedestrians and bikers were killed in these types of side-impact truck collisions. The danger of these side crashes has drawn attention and regulatory action internationally. As a result, many countries have required that trucks install side guards if they have a high clearance from the ground. Studies conducted in areas requiring the guards, like the U.K., Australia, Sweden and the Netherlands, have shown that fatalities are less likely when the guards are in place. In the U.K., bicyclist deaths dropped by 61% in side-impact truck collisions after the guards were mandated.

Drowsy driving is a big problem in Texas, especially in locations where there are no comprehensive public transit systems. Many people fail to sleep the minimum seven hours each night that the CDC recommends while others put themselves and others in danger by taking prescription sleep aids and heading out on the road before sleeping a sufficient time. Still others will sleep seven hours but remain drowsy because of a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the effects of being awake for 24 consecutive hours can be compared to that of having a BAC of .10. Drivers, then, should get adequate sleep, have themselves checked for sleep disorders and ask their doctor to change the dosage timing for any sleep aids or other drowsiness-inducing drugs, such as antidepressants, antihistamines and anxiety drugs, so that these do not conflict with driving.

Whenever you share the Texas highways with big rigs, you and your passengers are at risk. Eighteen-wheelers and semi-trucks typically weigh more than 10,000 pounds. When fully loaded, they could weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, or even more. Passenger vehicles weigh significantly less, and when these two collide, occupants of passenger vehicles are typically worse off.

If you are a victim of a car vs. 18-wheeler accident, you can suffer fractured bones, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries and traumatic brain injuries. You will probably lose workdays, which will cause income losses. Along with steep medical costs, devastating financial consequences can follow.