Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
Texas drivers are among the most likely to drive drunk in the nation.
Texas Ranks Among Top 5 for Worst Drivers in the Nation Yet Again in 2024 Study
Another Forbes Advisor study has analyzed the fatal accidents across the 50 states to find out which states have the worst drivers, and Texas is among the highest in the nation.
The study analyzed all fatal accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers, which involved one of 8 key metrics:
- Speeding (14% of the score),
- Distracted Driving (14% of the score),
- Disobeying Traffic Signals (14% of the score),
- Drunk Driving (14% of the score),
- Drowsy Driving (14% of the score),
- Driver Arrested for DUI (7% of the score),
- Texting/Phone Use (3% of the score),
- And At Least One Fatality (20% of the score).
Texas received a score of 95.12 out of 100, making it the 3rd most dangerous state for drivers in the United States in 2024.
The Most Common Dangerous Driving Behaviors of Texan Drivers
Unsafe driving behaviors have contributed greatly to the 12.7% increase in fatal accidents between 2019 and 2023. According to the Forbes Advisor study, the most common dangerous driving behaviors of Texan drivers are as follows.
Drunk Driving
Texas is second only to Montana in drunk driving fatality rates, with 8.32 drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Texas has a very lax attitude toward drunk driving, with major officials and even government officials frequently arrested for drunk driving. Fiesta in San Antonio, Memorial Day, New Year’s Day, and other major holidays see large spikes in drunk driving accidents, but it is a problem that threatens lives year-round.
There is no excuse for drunk driving in 2024. Check out our other post on Alternatives to Drunk Driving.
Drowsy Driving
Texas ranks 4th in the nation for drowsy driving fatalities, with 1.29 per 100,000 drivers involved in fatal accidents caused by drowsy driving.
Drowsy driving is a common plight of those who drive for a living, such as delivery drivers, truckers, and food/grocery delivery workers, and Texas has more drivers like these on the roads than in most states.
Speeding
Texas ranks 6th highest in the nation for fatal accidents involving speeding/racing drivers, with 6.67 per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Everyone knows speeding is illegal and dangerous, but Texan drivers do it anyway. Speeding can mean driving over the speed limit, engaging in street racing, or driving too fast for conditions (i.e., rain, sharp turns, low visibility).
Distracted Driving
Texas ranks 10th for distracted driving fatalities, involving 1.91 per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Phone use is one of the most common and dangerous forms of distracted driving, but many things can be a dangerous distraction for Texan drivers. Check out our post on Distracted Driving to learn about what constitutes a distraction and how you can clear distractions from your driving habits.
Disobeying Traffic Signals
Texas also ranks 10th for fatal accidents involving a driver who disobeyed a traffic signal or officer, with 1.23 per 100,000 licensed drivers.
Blowing stop signs, running red lights, ignoring traffic signals — you name it, a Texan driver has done it. Pressure to meet deadlines, frustration with increased traffic, and life stresses are believed to contribute greatly to aggressive driving behaviors like disobeying traffic signals.
Help for Texas Auto Accidents
All of the above behaviors are negligent, meaning that they breach a duty of care to keep other people safe. If you were hurt in an auto accident in Texas that was not your fault, you may be entitled to significant compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- Surgeries,
- Medical Bills,
- Disfigurement,
- Burns,
- TBI/Spinal Cord Injury,
- Trauma/PTSD,
- Loss of Earning Capacity,
- Missed Work,
- Wrongful Death,
- And More.
Carabin Shaw will help you find out if you qualify for compensation for free.
Call our team today at 800-862-1260 or use the live chat to schedule a free case evaluation with a Carabin Shaw auto accident attorney today. We look forward to serving you.