Posted on January 05, 2021 in Truck Accidents

Large trucks are an essential part of Texas’ economy. Truck drivers traverse across the entire country, bringing goods from all over. While these vehicles and drivers might serve an important function, they also pose a serious threat. Large truck accidents are life altering and, in some cases, even life ending.

In accidents involving large trucks and smaller passenger vehicles, victims in the smaller vehicles are much more likely to suffer fatal injuries. Part of the problem is that tractor trailers simply weigh more than cars — a lot more. The average large truck weighs as much as 30 times more than passenger vehicles. Sadly, several issues could result in these massive vehicles causing a serious accident.

Poorly maintained equipment

Trucking companies are supposed to ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained and free of defects. Unfortunately, defective equipment is a common factor in large truck accidents. Brake defects factor into an astounding 42% of all investigated trucking accidents. A single defect can increase the risk of a crash by 200%.

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 Posted on December 01, 2020 in Uncategorized

Work does not just stay at the office anymore. With the advent of technology like smartphones and video chatting, bosses are expecting more from their workers than perhaps ever before. Like a lot of people in Texas, your boss might expect you to answer work calls or reply to emails regardless of what else you may be doing. Unfortunately, this extra work pressure is making the distracted driving problem worse.

Distracted driving certainly is a huge problem. Around 80% of drivers talk on the phone when they are behind the wheel. At least 30% of drivers admit they have nearly caused accidents while driving too. Since these figures were self-reported in a Travelers Companies survey, it is possible that the real numbers could be much higher.

What if your boss is calling?

Connected culture — the idea that people should be constantly connected to their devices and available — could literally be killing workers. In a survey of company executives, nearly 75% said they do not think distracted driving is a big concern. Instead, these executives seem to prioritize being “on” all the time. That same survey found that 87% of executives think they should be able to either always or frequently contact employees outside the office.

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 Posted on October 30, 2020 in Uncategorized

Drunk drivers do not just endanger their own lives. They also put everyone else in Texas at risk for serious injury or even death. Unfortunately, many men and women still act as if drinking and driving is safe. This dangerous attitude toward drunk driving makes it difficult to get the problem under control.

Part of the problem could be that drunk driving is not necessarily as visible as distracted driving. While it is easy to spot a driver staring at his or her phone, it might be harder to identify someone who is under the influence of alcohol. So while you might find it easy to believe that distracted driving is the most common cause of car accidents, you may not realize that drunk driving is the second.

Does age matter?

A 2020 study from the Zebra found that age plays a huge factor in determining who is most likely to drink and drive. When asked which generation has the most drunk drivers, nearly 36% of respondents pointed to drivers between the ages of 25 and 39 — millennials — followed by 31% of drivers aged 16 to 24 — Gen Z.

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 Posted on September 28, 2020 in Uncategorized

Life without a smart phone probably feels a little unrealistic in today’s society. But is it unrealistic to expect people to use their smart phones safely? Unfortunately, there are many drivers in Texas who still prioritize their phones over paying attention to the road, making texting and driving a huge problem.

Every year in America, drivers on their phones cause 1.6 million crashes. In 2018 alone, cell phone use had a connection to 4,637 car accident deaths. These high numbers of injuries and deaths do not seem to deter some drivers from reaching for their phones.

Does age matter?

Age is a factor in who is most likely to text, and for different reasons. For example, people who text and drive are probably more confident in their abilities to multitask. A survey from The Zebra found that nearly 40% of drivers age 55 and up believe they multitask well, compared to only around 30% of drivers between the ages of 25 and 34.

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 Posted on August 31, 2020 in Truck Accidents

It is always a good feeling to walk into a store and find the exact product you were looking for, but you might not think much about how it got there. However, you have probably had the experience of driving near a large truck. Large trucks travel back and forth across the country each and every day, delivering goods and consumer products. Unfortunately, getting products to stores is not always safe. Large truck accidents are responsible for thousands of deaths every year.

In 2018 alone, large truck accidents caused 4,136 fatalities. In two vehicle accidents that only involved large trucks and passenger vehicles, drivers and occupants in passenger vehicles accounted for 96% of deaths. Large trucks also caused 22% of all passenger vehicle deaths in multi-vehicle accidents.

What is a large truck?

Large trucks are also referred to as 18-wheelers or tractor trailers. An example is a tractor truck that is pulling one or more trailers. Large trucks can also be single unit vehicles. These trucks often weigh upwards of 10,000 pounds.

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 Posted on July 31, 2020 in Uncategorized

While you might assume that other drivers take the responsibility of being behind the wheel as seriously as you do, the reality is that many men and women in Texas simply do not. Deterring people from driving while under the influence of alcohol is not easy either, and police arrest around one million Americans for this act each and every year. However, some experts believe that technology could be the answer to this problem.

According to a research paper from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — IIHS — reducing drunk driving deaths could be as easy as installing a breath testing unit in new vehicles. Some form of this technology already exists, too. Ignition interlock devices are frequently used for drivers convicted on DUI charges.

Stopping drunk drivers

When it comes to drunk driving, IIHS reports that the U.S. has made very little progress since around the mid-1990s. Looking back over just the past decade, drunk driving has contributed to 30% of roadway deaths. Some car manufacturers are committed to lowering those numbers.

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 Posted on June 19, 2020 in Uncategorized

Why should you or one of your loved ones have to suffer injury because another Texas driver chose to disregard traffic laws and safety regulations? It is never okay to fail to stop at a stop sign or to make unsafe lane changes or blow through red lights. Chances are, there are distracted drivers on the road every time you get behind the wheel or ride as a passenger in someone's car.

There are three main types of driving distraction. Some drivers deal with simultaneous distractions in more ways than one. Even a momentary distraction greatly increases the risk of collision. One minute, you might simply be commuting to work or driving to the grocery store. The next, a driver looking down at a cell phone might not see that you've stopped at a stop sign, and you could wind up in the back of an ambulance because of his or her negligence.

Understanding these types of distraction can help you stay safe

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 Posted on May 19, 2020 in Uncategorized

Perhaps one of the most frightening things to realize when you are on the road is that someone in another vehicle may have been drinking before getting behind the wheel. When you travel, alone or with your family, you may take every precaution to keep safe. Nevertheless, there may be others on the road who are not thinking of your safety, and these drivers pose a deadly risk.

Even a single alcoholic drink can impair someone's ability to react appropriately while driving. This can include reacting to basic cues, such as stop signs or the presence of another vehicle in his or her path. Someone who has been drinking freely may create a situation that places you and your loved ones in harm's way.

Why is drinking and driving so bad?

Nearly 30 people die in drunk driving accidents across the country each day. A driver who has consumed enough alcohol to have a .08 blood alcohol concentration, which is the legal limit in Texas, may have impairments that prevent him or her from controlling the vehicle and avoiding a collision, such as:

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 Posted on April 23, 2020 in Uncategorized

Most safety campaigns to address distracted driving focus on texting or other smartphone use, almost disregarding other equally dangerous distractions. Drivers in Dallas County who thought they could multitask while driving are not alone. Safety authorities estimate as many as 660,000 drivers nationwide drive while distracted.

It may come as a surprise, but the human brain is able to process only a limited amount of information at a time. The primary task is to focus on the road and safe driving, and adding other activities distracts the brain from driving, forcing it to process other information.

Most common distractions

Anything that takes your attention away from driving is a distraction. Even if you switch your cellphone off or stow it away to avoid texting and making or receiving calls, any of the following activities can distract you:

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 Posted on March 20, 2020 in Uncategorized

You'd likely have your work cut out to try to find an adult under age 75 in Texas who doesn't own a cell phone. Even people in older age groups often use cell phones nowadays. How attached are you to your phone? No matter what your current age happens to be, do you think you're at risk for developing an addiction to your cell phone? Addiction by any name, whether substance abuse, gambling or other, can be tough to overcome and can negatively affect lives.

Addiction often has a ripple effect, meaning it doesn't just affect your own life if you are addicted to something but has a way of causing adverse issues in the lives of the people around you as well. For instance, cell phone addicts often use their phones while driving, even if it's illegal in Texas or another state. This is a serious driving distraction that often leads to collision, which can have disastrous results for those involved.

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