Recent data released by the Texas Department of Transportation shows that there was a total of 5,555 crashes involving distracted driving in Travis County in 2017.
The data, collected from Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Reports, shows distracted driving in the county caused:
- 19 fatal crashes and 19 fatalities
- 138 serious crashes and 163 serious injuries
- 1,001 non-incapacitating crashes and 1,386 resulting injuries
- 1,210 possible injury crashes and 1,857 resulting injuries
- 3,072 non-injury crashes affecting 11,465 drivers and passengers
- 115 crashes of unknown severity with 549 accompanying injuries
Adjoining Counties Not as Affected
Adjoining counties didn’t have as many accidents from distracted driving in 2017:
- Bastrop County –2 fatalities, 347 total crashes from distracted driving
- Blanco County – No fatal crashes, 44 total crashes from distracted driving
- Burnet County – 3 fatal crashes with 4 fatalities, 148 total crashes from distracted driving
- Caldwell County –1 fatality, 210 total crashes from distracted driving
- Hays County – 7 fatalities, 863 total crashes from distracted driving
- Lee County –1 fatality, 51 total crashes from distracted driving
- Williamson County – 5 fatalities, 1,633 total crashes from distracted driving
The problem of distracted isn’t relegated to Texas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s research has found that in 2017, drivers in 2.9 percent of vehicles observed were using a handheld cellphone and 2 percent could be seen visibly manipulating a handheld device.
The survey also found that more women than men were seen driving while using a handheld cellphone, and more drivers between ages 16 and 24 were seen manipulating handheld devices than other ages.
Texas Insurance Laws
Texas is an “at fault” state, which means that if you get into an accident and file a claim for damages, a judge or jury will determine the percentage of fault caused by each driver and reduce any award by that amount.
For example, if you are 70 percent at fault and the other driver was 30 percent at fault, your award will be reduced by 70 percent and you will receive only 30 percent of the claim.
If you or a loved one talks on the phone or uses a handheld device while driving, pull over to communicate or conduct your research. If you’re involved in an accident in which one of the divers was distracted, contact a qualified, experienced lawyer to help you understand all your options.
