Category: Car Accidents

• August 27, 2018
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

It may not be much comfort if you're the one getting a traffic ticket, but drivers in the Lone Star State may actually be getting off easy compared to other parts of the country. But does lax enforcement of traffic laws make a state less safe? A recent report from personal finance site Wallet Hub puts Texas at the bottom of the list of "Strictest States on Speeding and Reckless Driving." The state ranked 51st overall in a study that collected data from all 50 U.S. states as well as Washington D.C. The study assigned points to states based on several metrics related to speeding and reckless driving; the points were totaled to arrive at the overall strictness rank. Among the factors that kept Texas in last place are: Speeding i[...]

• June 12, 2018
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

When the police ask you to take a Breathalyzer test, it's usually already too late. The damage -- sometimes property damage, sometimes injury or loss of life -- has already been done. But what if there were a way you could tell if you were impaired before you got behind the wheel? Well, there’s an app for that. DRUID is one of a recent (and ever-growing) crop of phone-based applications that allow drivers to measure their level of impairment before they turn the key. How It Works DRUID, which was specifically formulated to measure impairment from marijuana, asks users to complete a series of cognitive and physical tasks while sober to establish a baseline performance score. Reaction time, decision making, hand-eye coordination, b[...]

• February 16, 2018
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

It’s cold and flu season, which means many Americans are heading to the store to stock-up on over-the-counter medicines. OTC medicines can help minimize symptoms of illness, but they can seriously interfere with your ability to drive. Before you take any medication, read the label carefully. Some medications are known to cause marked drowsiness, and even those that aren’t associated with drowsiness could interact poorly with prescription medications. Cold and Allergy Medicines That Cause Drowsiness Antihistamines are widely used to treat symptoms of colds and allergies. But some of these medicines can be dangerous for drivers. When purchasing OTC antihistamines, consider the following: Diphenhydramine – This active ingre[...]

• January 23, 2018
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

According to data released in 2017 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, crashes in which drivers ran red lights killed 771 people and injured about 137,000 people in 2015. One study in Fairfax, Va., found that every 20 minutes at every intersection, a driver ran a red light. It’s easy to understand why these crashes are especially dangerous in urban areas with busy intersections – drivers who run red lights are likely to strike another vehicle in the side. These “T-bone” crashes often result in severe injuries, especially in older-model cars that aren’t equipped with side air bags. And in urban areas, running a red light could result in pedestrian or bicyclist fatalities. The IIHS recorded a re-creation of an a[...]

• November 16, 2017
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

After June 21, the longest day of the year, the sunrise occurs a bit later each day and sunset is a bit earlier. By December 21, Austin’s day is just over 10 hours long – about four hours shorter than in June. The gradual decrease in daylight means more people are commuting to and from work in the dark, which increases their risk of a crash. According to the National Safety Council, the risk of a fatal crash is three times greater for nighttime drivers than daytime drivers. Drivers who understand the risks associated with driving in the dark are more likely to stay safe on the road. Nighttime Driving Risks Visibility is the greatest challenge of nighttime driving. Although headlights and street lights illuminate the road ahead, dr[...]

• October 13, 2017
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

According to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board, speeding-related crash fatalities decreased nationwide between 2012 and 2014. But speeding is still a factor in about 30 percent of annual crash fatalities. In the report, “Reducing Speeding-Related Crashes Involving Passenger Vehicles,” the NTSB offered several recommendations for reducing the incidence of speeding. Those recommendations were for three of the federal agencies that oversee various aspects of traffic safety: the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration. The NTSB also made recommendations for specific states, including Texas. Texas Behind Other States in Speed En[...]

• July 25, 2017
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

Effective Sept. 1, a new Texas law makes it illegal to engage in texting while driving. People ticketed for violating the law could pay $99 for a first offense and up to $200 for subsequent offenses. Safety advocates say Texas is long overdue for a statewide texting ban, as 47 states already had such laws. But more than 90 cities in Texas already have laws that forbid texting while driving, and some of those laws are stricter than the state ban. Gov. Greg Abbott said that during the special 30-day session that began July 18, a topic of discussion would be ensuring the state texting ban supersedes local bans. If that happens, some cities may lose the gains they’ve made in terms of enforcement. Results of Texas Texting While Driv[...]

• April 28, 2017
• EVANS / DESHAZO / REILLEY

On March 9, Sen. Donald Huffines, R-Dallas, filed a bill that would end annual vehicle safety inspections. Seven Democrats and one Republican signed on as sponsors of the legislation, Senate Bill 1588. Huffines says the safety inspection program is “antiquated” and a “ripoff to Texas taxpayers.” The fee for the annual inspection is $14.25 per vehicle, which Huffines says is a financial burden for households with multiple vehicles. His legislation would not eliminate emissions testing. The Texas State Inspection Association, which conducts both emissions and safety inspections, says the safety tests help keep dangerous cars off the road. That’s a claim that is subject to debate. What the Federal Government Says Between [...]