It’s no secret that Houston roads can be hazardous. Making matters worse is the fact that Houston roads are becoming more congested as the population swells. With this increasing congestion comes an increase in crash rates. A recent report from the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) examined data regarding traffic crashes in the region over a five year period.
The report showed that the number of crashes increased from 89,000 in 2011 to more than 144,000 in 2015. That is a sixty-two percent increase in the number of crashes over this period. The crash rate per 100 million vehicle miles travelled in that same period increased by almost thirty-nine percent.
Also included in the report was an examination of the causes of these crashes. According to the report, there was a fifteen percent increase in the number of crashes resulting in death or serious injuries caused by distracted driving. There was a seven percent increase in the number of crashes caused by drunk driving.
The report further revealed that Friday is the most dangerous day of the week to drive on Houston area roads, and October is the most dangerous month, based on data from 2009 to 2015.
The HGAC Regional Safety Council, which was established to promote road safety in the region, hopes to use the findings in the study to improve transportation solutions over the next few years.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.