The year 2023 is shaping up to be the deadliest on record for auto accidents in Texas, as revealed by a recent study.
Patino Law, a personal injury law firm in San Antonio and McAllen, analysed crash data from January to September 2023, sourced from the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Crash Records Information System (C.R.I.S.).
The study shows a disturbing trend: Total crashes increased to 468,850 in 2023 from 464,555 in the same period last year, with a significant 20% surge in fatalities, from 2,646 to 3,180.
According to TxDOT’s annual Texas Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts, there has been a consistent rise in auto accident deaths. The frequency of fatalities, which was one person every two hours and 34 minutes in 2012, had escalated to one every one hour and 57 minutes by 2022.
In 2023, the rate has further increased, with a person dying every one hour and 50 minutes. Historical data suggest that fatalities tend to rise towards the end of the year, indicating a likely increase from the 2022 monthly average of 370 fatalities.
This worrying data coincides with TxDOT’s #EndTheStreakTX campaign’s second anniversary, which began in 2021 to highlight the lack of a deathless day on Texas roads since November 7th, 2000.
On November 2nd, 2023, TxDOT’s Pharr District staged a mock funeral to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted and impaired driving. Speeding has been identified as the most significant contributing factor to crashes in 2023, accounting for 22% of the total.
Dr. Louis Patino of Patino Law Firm remarked, “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 firm’s detailed study also delves into the types of vehicles most involved in accidents, the most dangerous roads and counties, and the prevalent charges against drivers. The complete Up-to-Date Guide to Auto Accidents in Texas guide is accessible on the Patino Law Firm’s website.
