Fatal Truck Accidents on the Rise in Texas

In an era where there are so many semi trucks, tractor-trailers and big rigs plying the highways of Texas, accidents involving them are becoming quite common.

Sometimes the accident is caused by the truck driver’s active negligence while at other times it is due to lack of care by the trucking company (or passive negligence). Either way, an accident involving large trucks is almost always tricky and resolving any disputes that arise as a result may be difficult.

Laws governing large trucks are often different than those applying to regular automobiles and can be very complicated. Having an experienced Austin Truck Accident Lawyer will help you take the necessary steps to protect your rights. One of the attorney’s primary roles is gathering evidence and ensuring that it and any witnesses are preserved if the case is to be heard in court. They will obtain witness statements, police reports and all the documents necessary for putting a solid case together for trial.
For more than six decades, highway deaths have plummeted across U.S.  This has been attributed to increased use of seat belts, small children using safety seats, and use of cars installed with life saving technology, such as airbags. However, there is a different scenario occurring in Texas. As this article from the Houston Chronicle points out, serious or fatal accidents involving large trucks have been on the rise due in large part to the fracking boom and oil drilling that started in 2008.

Texas is now the leading state in motor vehicle deaths ahead of California, which was previously the leader. In the period between 2009 and 2013, the fatalities in Texas increased from 3,122 to 3,378 representing an 8 percent margin of increase; while in most other states, the number declined over the same period.

In an exclusive report prepared by The Houston Chronicle, traffic deaths associated with commercial truck accidents in Texas went up by 51 percent from a low of 352 to a high of 532 between 2009 and 2013, and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. Below is a good example of the type of trucking accident that occurs all too often in Texas:

One woman died near her home in Houston after finishing a lunch shift at a local restaurant.  At the time of the collision, she was on her way home to see her husband before he caught a flight to New Orleans for a new job. She never made it; the woman was killed as an oilfield hauling truck loaded with metal pipes rammed and crushed her 15-year-old Chevy Cavalier. Sadly, death befell her so near her home. Her husband claims to have even heard the shriek of tires and crunching of metal from their home where he had been waiting with his personal belongings packed for the journey.  This kind of incident is tragic and preventable but occurs frequently across our state.

If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, seek treatment from a recognized healthcare facility or doctor, and contact a qualified Austin Truck Accident Lawyer. Lawsuits pertaining to commercial truck accidents can be complex to handle. Therefore, if you or your family member has been injured or died as a result of a truck accident, contact TK Injury Lawyers immediately so that we can ensure you are protected and justice is served.