Texas Car Accident Statistics

Car accidents are among the leading causes of severe injuries and fatalities in Texas. More than 500,000 collisions occur each year, and according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), 2021 was the second-deadliest year for roadways.

Injury and Fatality Data

In 2021, one person was killed every one hour and 57 minutes, one person was injured every two minutes and 12 seconds, and one reportable accident occurred every 57 seconds. TxDOT also reports the following additional crash data for 2021 in regard to injuries and fatalities:

• 19,448 people were severely injured in 15,764 serious injury crashes.
• 239,539 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents.
• 4,489 people were killed in accidents, an increase of 15.22% from the 3,896 deaths recorded in 2020. As a result, the fatality rate was 1.56 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled.
• There were no days in 2021 when no one was killed on Texas roadways.
• August was the deadliest month, with 418 people killed.
• 46.2% of the individuals killed in collisions were not wearing seat belts.
• The deadliest day in 2021 was Friday, October 22nd, when 27 people were killed in traffic accidents.
• Four crashes in 2021 resulted in six or more fatalities.
• More than half of fatal accidents happened in rural areas of Texas.
• Harris County experienced the most traffic accidents, responsible for nearly 30,000 possible injuries and 577 fatalities.

Leading Causes of Car Accidents in Texas

• Close to 25% of fatal accidents involved a driver who was under the influence of alcohol.
• More than 134,000 motor vehicle accidents were caused by a drivers’ failure to control their speed.
• 82,705 accidents were attributed to driver inattention.
• Distracted driving was responsible for 433 fatalities in collisions. Examples of distracted driving include talking on the phone, texting, changing the music, eating, putting on makeup, etc.
• Over 1,000 people were killed in crashes occurring in or related to an intersection. These accidents often happen when a driver fails to yield the right of way.
• There were 613 people killed in head-on crashes in 2021. Head-on accidents often occur when a driver is distracted, intoxicated, confused and driving the wrong way, tired, speeds around a curve, or illegally passes another vehicle.
• Single-vehicle, run-off the road crashes resulted in 1,550 fatalities or 34.53% of all motor vehicle traffic deaths in 2021. These accidents most often occur when a driver is speeding, intoxicated, distracted, experiences a mechanical failure, swerves to avoid debris, due to dangerous weather, or encounters an animal crossing the road.

Have You Been Involved in a Car Accident in Texas?

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or lost their life in a car accident in Texas, we can help. Our Waco car accident attorneys at Craft Law Firm can advise you on next steps for holding the wrongful party accountable. Call (713) 225-0500 or reach us online to arrange a free consultation today.