According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 239,539 individuals injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021, with a death toll of 4,489 people.
There are many reasons for car accidents. These can include bad weather, negligent or reckless driving and a host of other reasons.
Regardless of the circumstances, the reality is that auto accidents are all but inevitable. Humans and machines are flawed. Vehicles will suffer from faulty components, and people will make poor decisions or succumb to road rage.
We may not be able to completely eliminate auto accidents, but we can do our best to prioritize passenger safety so people have a better chance of surviving them. One of the easiest ways to help ensure safety is to adhere to restraint measures.
No matter what age a person is, it’s critical that seatbelts and any other necessary restraints be worn whether the person is driving or a passenger. In 2021, 46.2% of the people who died in vehicle accidents in Texas were reported as not restrained when the fatal crash occurred.
That statistic is staggering. Nearly half the people who died in auto accidents weren’t wearing a seatbelt or other form of proper restraint. Seatbelts are easy and quick to use, and more people could survive accidents if they simply buckled up.
While it’s true that most deaths in vehicle accidents are adults, the sad truth is that children aren’t shielded from potential danger.
In 2021, 166 vehicle passengers under the age of 18 in Texas were killed in auto accidents. This could be avoided by having kids use their seatbelts if they’re at least 57″ tall and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds.
Children under those height and weight suggestions need to be using child safety seats (infant car seats, booster seats, etc.), but it’s critical that the seats are set up correctly.
According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, “As many as 85 percent of child safety seats are found to be improperly installed and/or used when vehicles are stopped and checked.”
Another way to avoid fatalities includes not letting infants or small children ride in the front seat where they’re exposed to airbags in the event of a crash. Additionally, as fun or convenient as it may be, kids should also be kept from sitting in the cargo area of a pickup truck.
If you’ve been injured in a vehicle accident and need an experienced attorney in the Dallas Fort Worth Metropolitan area, the law firm of Ted B. Lyon & Associates can help. Call 877-Ted-Lyon / 877-833-5966 or contact us via email to schedule your free initial consultation regarding your motor vehicle accident claim.
