Two-Vehicle Wrong-Way Crash Kills Six People
A deadly collision in San Patricio County resulted in six fatalities and three hospitalizations. Authorities report that two vehicles were involved in the Saturday, Jan. 23 wrong-way car accident.
Details of the Car Crash
A crash occurred at around 3:33 a.m. on Saturday roughly half a mile east of Mathis on IH-37. The Texas Department of Public Safety reports that the collision involved nine individuals in two vehicles traveling in opposite directions on the highway.
According to reports, a Toyota Camry was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of IH-37 carrying one driver and three passengers. The vehicle was soon struck head-on by a Dodge Caravan traveling north in the left lane. The Grand Caravan was carrying one driver and four passengers.
According to authorities, five of the individuals were pronounced dead on the scene, one of whom was ejected from the vehicle. Those involved include two 19-year-old males, two 18-year-old males, and a 24-year-old male.
Following the crash, four individuals were transported to a nearby hospital. One of those individuals, an 18-year-old female, was pronounced dead at the hospital on Sunday evening.
This incident remains under investigation by authorities. Go Fund Me accounts have been set up for the three injured victims.
Reducing Fatalities on Texas Roadways
The Texas Department of Transportation gathers a wealth of information on auto accidents in the state. While the purpose of all this data might just seem like record-keeping, the truth is that we can learn a lot about not only Texas drivers, but also roadway and vehicle safety improvements over time.
For instance, while the overall number of Texas car accidents between 2010 and 2019 increased by more than 40%, the number of fatal car crashes increased by only about 18%. This means that on average Texas car accidents are becoming less deadly.
This improvement might seem less significant when compared to the number of deaths seen in your average fatal car crash. Between 2010 and 2019, the average number of fatalities seen in accidents in which at least one person died stayed at around just over 1 death per fatal accident. This means that accidents with 6 deaths, like the incident described above, are incredibly rare. While this steady rate might seem to suggest a lack of progress, one death is the lowest this rate can be. This means that Texas has actually had a better-than-average record in this area for a full decade.
All of this goes to show that the effort to reduce deaths on Texas roadways is multifaceted. While efforts to improve driver behavior and responsibility are essential, improvements to vehicle safety features and roadway infrastructure can both have a massive impact on the safety of Texas drivers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Texas car accident, contact the Houston car accident attorneys of Lapeze & Johns to learn about your rights to compensation.
Source : 3News
