Navigating a Texas roadway by motor vehicle can definitely be a stressful experience. Whether you're behind the wheel or riding as a passenger, if there's a distracted driver nearby or an intoxicated or reckless motorist, your immediate risk for injury skyrockets. It's not uncommon for people to go into shock after sudden collisions occur.

If you were to suffer life-threatening injuries in a motor vehicle accident, what happens directly thereafter would be largely out of your control. In fact, you might not even be conscious when rescuers transport you to the nearest trauma center. If you are coherent at the accident scene, there are several things to keep in mind regarding post-accident decisions.

Avoid legal complications

After a car accident, especially one that leaves you seriously injured, it can feel like a whirlwind. You may have questions you wanted to ask, information you wanted to gather or provide, and just want to know what happened in general. Though you may not have immediately been able to obtain this information due to going to the hospital, obtaining it as soon as possible may be in your best interests.

Typically, after a serious crash, police officers come to the scene. Their presence can be immensely useful for various reasons, among which is gathering information for a police report. A police report can contain facts about the accident that may prove useful to you if you choose to pursue a personal injury claim against the driver considered at fault for the incident, even if the report itself cannot be evidence.

What goes into a police report?

Most people, on at least one occasion, have gotten behind the wheel while in a hurry. When a person is running late, rushing to get somewhere or simply being inattentive, it can result in that person driving at dangerously high speeds. If you have ever done this yourself, you may be wondering what could be so bad about driving a little fast.

Speeding is a common type of reckless driving. Speed limits are there for a reason, and driving over these limits is not only against the law, it can increase the chance of an accident. Many people underestimate the significant danger associated with speeding. However, if you are a victim of an accident caused by a speeding Texas driver, you know firsthand how dangerous this type of behavior can be.

A greater danger than you may think

As a Texas driver, you are aware that large trucks are everywhere on the road. Semitrailers are a critical part of the economy, and they are responsible for transporting goods and products from one place to another. Due to their heavy weight and the sheer size of these vehicles, you also know they can cause significant damage when involved in an accident.

In order to make the roads safer and decrease the chance of an accident, there are both state and federal laws in place that determine how these vehicles operate. There are strict guidelines for the number of consecutive hours truckers can drive and how frequently they must rest. There is some question regarding the efficacy of these regulations and whether they actually make the roads safer for motorists.

Do current regulations hurt or help?

Workplace injuries are a sad fact of life. Even in industries or positions that carry no inherent danger, you never know when an accident will occur or if conditions will place you at risk of a work-related illness. In most states in the U.S., business owners carry workers' compensation insurance to cover medical bills and other expenses related to workplace accidents.

Texas is a rare exception in that it is the only state that does not require its employers to offer workers' compensation coverage. When you accepted the position at your job, your employer should have informed you whether he or she carries workers' compensation insurance. If your employer is a non-subscriber, you may wonder about your options when you get hurt on the job.

What should I do if I get hurt?

Most newer vehicles have the ability to connect to people's phones so that they can use them hands-free while driving without having to take eyes off the road and hand's off the wheel. It is supposed to help reduce distracted driving accidents specifically related to cellphone use. The truth is, hands-free devices are not a distracted driving cure-all. In fact, this technology comes with its own issues that also cause distracted driving.

Hands-on cellphone use for texting and talking while driving or stopped in traffic is illegal in the state of Texas. However, several cities have hands-free device laws in place to allow that you to use this feature within city limits.

Allowing drivers to use hands-free technology may have had some effect on the number of cellphone-related auto accidents, but not as strong as an effect as lawmakers would have hoped. Why? Cognitive distractions still affect people utilizing their phones even in a hands-free way.

When a driver is doing anything other than keeping his or her eyes on the road, it is distracted driving. When you think about distracted driving, you may think about someone texting or reading an email, but those are not the only things that can take a driver's attention. One of the most common and most dangerous types of distracted driving in Texas does not involve using a phone at all.

Eating while driving may not seem dangerous. In fact, most people have probably gone through a drive-thru to grab coffee and a pastry before work or picked up a burger to eat on the way home. Eating on-the-go is part of the American culture, yet the convenience may not be worth the risk. Eating while driving is a type of distracted driving, and it is quite dangerous.

Understanding the dangers

Let's be honest. Teenagers lack the experience to safely multitask while driving. For this reason, their parents often warn them not to use their cell phones, eat or do anything other than drive and pay attention to the road when they drive.

The question is whether Texas parents warn their teens about the dangers of having passengers their age in the vehicle. Did you know that with one peer passenger in the vehicle, the risk of an accident doubles? If a teenager has two or more peers along for the ride, the risk triples — and this is without adding any additional distractions.

Teens may not always follow the rules

You may have a number of concerns while on the road or while your loved ones are on the road. You certainly want to stay safe and never want to learn that a loved one has suffered injuries in an accident. Of course, you likely also know that a choice made by another person could easily result in a crash that has life-altering consequences.

In particular, a person making the decision to drink and drive could result in you or a loved one suffering serious or even fatal injuries. These dangerous drivers plague Texas roadways, and unfortunately, the odds are high that you or a family member will share the road with a drunk driver at some point.

Signs of a drunk driver

As you pass vehicles on the road, do you ever wonder what the lives of those inside them are like? Are they happy or sad, rich or poor or single or married? Maybe you have wondered these things, or maybe you focus on more practical questions like did that driver got enough sleep last night? Is he or she on a cell phone? Is he or she too busy looking at a GPS system to notice you?

You have probably heard that there are more and more drowsy and distracted drivers on the roadways, so you wonder these things. However, you can't forget about the impaired drivers. Whether it's 7a.m. or 7 p.m., some drivers continue to feed their addictions — and some of them drive vehicles that weigh up to 80,000 pounds and dwarf your car in size. Yes, we are talking about big rigs, and the fact that many of their drivers suffer from addictions make them a danger on the roadways.

The problem could be worse than you think

It happens to everyone. You are running late trying to get to your destination when a car pulls out in front of you and slows to a crawl. You can feel your blood pressure rising, and it takes all your self-control to keep from using your own vehicle to push the other one out of your way. Instead, you take a deep breath and try to keep calm. Eventually, the other driver turns off, and you go on your way.

You may have control of your emotions while driving, but not every driver is able to contain the rage that builds up when faced with these inconveniences. When a driver acts on those impulses, your life may be in danger.

Aggression or road rage?

It was this time last year when a lot a Texas drivers, perhaps including you, had to face the fact that their actions behind the wheel were dangerous. On Sept. 1, 2017, state lawmakers passed a law prohibiting drivers from texting. The law was heralded by public service announcements and campaigns outlining the dangers of taking your eyes off the road long enough to read or send a message on your mobile device.

Whether you had your own close calls with a phone in your hand or you are one of the countless Texas families who suffered injuries and loss due to someone else's distraction, you may have made a conscious decision not to text while behind the wheel. But that doesn't mean everyone else has.

How dangerous is texting?

Trucks are important to the Texas economy and the American economy as a whole, but there are strict regulations regarding how long a person can be behind the wheel of one of these vehicles. When a truck driver experiences fatigue, he or she is more likely to cause an accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has put regulations in place that limit how many subsequent hours a trucker can drive. Despite regulations, many truckers and trucking companies ignore these standards and continue to drive past the allotted number of hours. This comes from pressure to deliver loads faster and secure payment upon delivery.

Regulations regarding hours of service

Most everyone has had a moment of inattention behind the wheel, whether it was while adjusting the temperature, trying to find a parking space or turning to address your children in the back seat. When you think about it, though, it's not difficult to see how a moment of distraction could end disastrously in a collision.

The reality is that negligent or reckless driving is preventable. Still, people get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol; they text and drive; or they willingly disregard the speed limits. If you have suffered injuries or lost a loved one due to a negligent driver, you may be considering the benefits of hiring an attorney to represent you in a personal injury claim or a wrongful death claim.

Dealing with insurers

Texas readers know that drunk driving is a significant problem in the state, and it poses a serious threat to the safety and well-being of every person on the road. There is no excuse for intoxicated driving, and even a small amount of alcohol can have an effect on a driver's ability to safely operate a vehicle.

If you are the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver, you have the right to take action and defend your interests. It is possible to hold these drivers accountable for their actions and irresponsible choices, and through a civil claim, you may be able to seek appropriate compensation for your losses, as well as your pain and suffering.

The effect of alcohol on a driver

If you suffered injuries from a Texas truck accident, you know how difficult it can be to put your life back together after this type of traumatic incident. Truck accidents can lead to serious damage and grave injuries, and often, these types of accidents are completely preventable.

Trucking companies and their insurance providers do not have your best interests in mind. You may receive an offer for a financial settlement after a truck accident, but this may not reflect the true value of your case and the amount to which you have a rightful claim. You would be wise to carefully consider the terms of any agreement offered to you before you accept or sign anything

Fighting for what you deserve

Every year, the Texas Department of Transportation records statistics on a number of subjects — one of them being fatal automobile accidents. The state has not yet released the 2017 numbers, but the 2016 numbers show that serious or fatal car accidents happen all too often in Texas.

What do the numbers say? What is causing these accidents? What can victims or — in the event of fatality — their surviving family members do after the fact? Can they seek relief for their losses?

Numbers, numbers, numbers…

The issue of distracted driving isn't new. Since cars took to the road, drivers' attention has wandered away from the road and caused accidents. Since people began talking to passengers, eating, shaving or even reading a newspaper, the danger existed.

However, technological advances in recent years increased instances of distracted driving, with serious and deadly consequences. The technology that should make life easier also involves complicated maneuvers to use, which creates significant distractions. In 2017, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released research regarding technology and distracted driving.

What the AAA Foundation discovered

Staying connected has often been a goal of many people. With loved ones and friends living far apart, it is not unusual for parties to want to find ways in which they can easily communicate and stay updated on recent personal news. With social media and apps within arm's reach, constant communication has never been easier.

Cell phones can easily allow you and others to conduct many different activities simply using a device in the palm of your hand. If you need to ask a quick question to a friend, you can simply send a text. If you need to give a general update about your day, you can post to social media. Even if you need to check your bank account, you can likely access an app that gives you information regarding your balances. Though this may seem convenient, when is cell phone use too much?

Cell phone addiction

Sadly, as you may be aware, Texas regularly leads the nation in DWI fatalities. Of course, you already know the dangers of driving while intoxicated and the increased risk it means for both you and any passengers, not to mention everyone else on the road, pedestrians included. You know how important it is to arrange alternate transportation ahead of time if you're going to be drinking. If nothing else, you can call an Uber.

What you may be less certain of, however, is how to spot when another driver on the road has been drinking. Perhaps even more important is knowing what to do about it. Figuring out the signs of impaired driving can help you take preventative measures, if necessary, to keep you and your passengers safe, and reporting a drunk driver to the appropriate authorities can potentially save the lives of any number of others.

How to report a drunk driver