Everything’s bigger in Texas. We Texans pride ourselves on having the biggest and best. Our state itself is massive, and from Big Tex at our award-winning state fair to the world’s most valuable sports team playing at the jaw-droppingly impressive AT&T stadium, we have a lot to brag about. But one thing that is bigger in Texas that we would rather not even acknowledge is our car accident stats. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association (NHTSA), Texas had the biggest number of statewide car crashes in 2017. The Department of Transportation reports that a serious car accident occurred that year in our great state every 59 seconds.
There are many things that contribute to our state accident totals, but according to additional data from the Department of Transportation, the top 3 contributing factors in car accidents here in 2017 were:
- Driving over the speed limit
- Driver’s inattention
- Failure to drive in a single lane
Driving over the speed limit is commonplace on our Texas roads. It seems we all do it. As a matter of fact, many of us erroneously assume we can go a bit over the speed limit and not have to worry about getting a ticket, but the reality is, a police officer can give you a ticket if you’re going as little as 1 mph over the speed limit. Speed limits are set by the state and based on safety studies under ideal driving conditions. Deciding it’s okay to go faster than the posted speed limit can be far more dangerous than you think. In addition, not adjusting your speed when driving conditions are less than ideal can be deadly!
Not surprisingly, driving over the speed limit was one of the top 3 contributing factors in Texas’ car crash fatality numbers in 2017 along with driver intoxication. But the number 1 contributing factor in those fatality numbers was failure to drive in a single lane.
Failure to drive in a single lane is also a common offense on our highways. Cars veering from in between the lines of the lane dividers or over edge lines—whether due to driver intoxication or distraction—can lead to serious consequences. With all the driving we do here, it’s easy to become complacent. We lose focus while listening to music, talking to others, or occasionally glancing down at our phones for directions. Suddenly, we realize we’re veering into another lane—maybe even in front of another car. Or a car in front of us drifts into our lane or deliberately changes lanes but doesn’t warn us with a turn signal, and we are taken completely by surprise. The next thing we know, we’re in a serious accident!
Here at Accident and Injury Chiropractic, we hope you never become part of our Texas accident statistics. But remember, if you’re ever in an accident, we’re here to help. Come to the Accident and Injury nearest you to get the quality care that will get you back out there driving again in the biggest and best state in the country.
