Posted in Car Accident on September 12, 2023

Motor vehicle accidents are consistently a top cause of death in Texas and throughout the country. Every year, thousands of victims lose their lives in fatal traffic accidents. If you tragically lost a loved one in a fatal car accident in Texas, your family may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact the San Antonio car accident attorneys at Maloney & Campolo for a free case evaluation.

Car Accident Deaths in the U.S. in 2022

Motor vehicle fatalities can occur in collisions involving passenger cars, commercial trucks, motorcycles, bicyclists and pedestrians. According to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2022, an estimated 42,795 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. This was a fatality rate of 1.35 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

There was a marginal 0.3 percent decrease in the number of traffic accident fatalities in the U.S. from 2021 to 2022. The fourth quarter of 2022 was the third consecutive quarterly decline in traffic accident deaths following seven quarters in a row of increases dating back to 2020. The decrease in 2022 occurred despite drivers traveling 0.9 percent more miles than in 2021.

Texas Fatal Car Accident Facts

In 2022, Texas recorded 4,496 car accident fatalities. This was only two deaths less than the 4,498 fatalities reported in 2021. Texas’s fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was higher than the national rate in 2022, at 1.55.

Below is a summary of fatal car accident facts from the 2022 Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Facts Sheet, published by the Texas Department of Transportation:

  • There were no deathless days on Texas roads in 2022.
  • Approximately one person was killed in a traffic accident every 1 hour 57 minutes.
  • Texas’s fatality rate increased by 1.99 percent from 2021 to 2022.
  • More fatalities occurred in rural areas of Texas (51.42 percent) than in urban areas.
  • Single-vehicle accidents involving road departures took 1,471 lives.
  • There were 1,030 deadly intersection accidents and 636 fatal head-on collisions.
  • September was the deadliest month for drivers, with 427 traffic accident deaths.
  • Almost half (48.03 percent) of deceased crash victims were not wearing seat belts.
  • Motorcyclists accounted for 562 traffic deaths, 39 percent of which were not wearing helmets.
  • Pedestrian deaths totaled 828 in Texas in 2022.
  • Alcohol was involved in 1,163 fatal traffic accidents (about one-fourth of deadly crashes).
  • Distracted drivers killed approximately 484 victims – an 11.01 percent increase from 2021.

More people died in traffic accidents in Texas than in any other state in 2022. The second-highest death toll was recorded in California, with 4,407 fatalities in 2022.

What Are the Leading Causes of Fatal Car Accidents in Texas?

In Texas, car accidents are almost always preventable. They occur when drivers or other parties are negligent, meaning they fail to use ordinary care. Examples of deadly driver errors include:

  • Distracted driving
  • Texting and driving
  • Drunk or drugged driving
  • Speeding
  • Failing to yield the right-of-way
  • Red-light running
  • Reckless or aggressive driving
  • Tailgating
  • Traffic violations

Dangerous road conditions, inclement weather and auto part defects are also behind fatal traffic accidents in Texas each year.

Wrongful Death Claims and Fatal Car Accidents

If someone you love passed away in a fatal crash in Texas, your family may be eligible for financial compensation for funeral and burial costs, lost wages and inheritance, your pain and suffering, and more. Filing a wrongful death claim against the driver or party responsible for the deadly collision could result in a settlement or judgment award for your past and future losses.

Discuss your legal rights after a fatal car accident with a San Antonio wrongful death lawyer from Maloney & Campolo for more information. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.