Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
We’ve all been there—after a long day at work, or on the way to work, you find yourself fighting to keep your eyes open to focus on driving. In Texas, where most people own a car and driving is a regular part of getting around and commuting, Texas drivers are especially susceptible to these accidents because of how much time is spent on the road. Whether it was stress from the day or a restless night of sleep the night before, drowsy driving is dangerous and can often lead to fatal consequences. Unfortunately, Texas drowsy driving accidents are more common than you may expect.
According to a recent report, fatal drowsy driving accidents continue to be a widespread public safety issue in the United States. Between 2010 and 2018, drowsy driving accidents killed 7,392 people nationwide. In total, 22% of these accidents occurred on Texas highways and interstates, making the state home to America’s most drowsy drivers. Although the number of fatalities caused by these accidents has decreased since 2010, the number of accidents in Texas continues to be nearly four times greater than the state with the next greatest percentage of fatalities. On the state’s busiest, traffic-heavy roads, there were ten times more fatal crashes than the national average.
When it comes to drowsy driving accidents, people 25 to 34 are most susceptible to these crashes. Nearly 16% of victims from 2010 to 2018 were in this category, making this statistic especially troubling. Because a single accident stemming from drowsy driving is likely to kill more than one person, the lethal nature of these accidents must be emphasized.
Although it may seem obvious that drowsy driving accidents occur most often in the evening, actually, the majority of drowsy driving accidents occur during the day. In fact, more than fifty percent of drowsy driving crashes happen during daylight hours.
When these accidents occur, it is important to understand whether your auto insurance covers the collision so that you can recover damages if applicable. Because Texas is not a no-fault state, the party who caused the accident is the party that will pay damages. This means that the extent to which your car insurance covers the damage from the accident would depend on whether you were the one who fell asleep while driving.
If someone else fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into you, the other driver’s car insurance would pay for any medical bills and damage to your vehicle. However, insurance companies routinely dispute these claims, or try to settle them for far less than the amount of damages an accident victim sustained. Thus, the assistance of a dedicated San Antonio personal injury attorney can be critical to obtaining fair compensation for your injuries.
Do You Need a Texas Personal Injury Attorney?
If you or someone you know has recently been involved in a San Antonio car accident, contact the attorneys at Carabin Shaw. Our lawyers have years of extensive experience representing personal injury victims in all types of car accident claims and will advocate tirelessly on your behalf to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. To schedule your free consultation today, contact us at 800-862-1260.