How Many Car Accidents Happen Daily in Houston, TX?

Houston Has More Auto Crashes Than Any TX City. Here’s Why.

160 — that is the average number of car accidents that occur in Houston each day, the latest data shows. And it means that Houston has about 7 auto collisions every hour and roughly 1 motor vehicle crash every 10 minutes.

Whether you regularly or occasionally drive in Houston, you could have fairly decent chances of being in a wreck IF:

• You don’t know where most Houston auto accidents happen.
• You’re not sober, attentive, or experienced enough behind the wheel.
• You are not a defensive driver who knows how to take proactive action to avoid a car crash in Houston, TX.

The good news is that there are several things you can do to lower your risk of a car accident and safely travel on Houston’s roads whenever you need to. That all starts with the right knowledge and answers regarding:  

1. What Houston Roads Are the Most Dangerous?
2. Top 10 Most Dangerous Roads & Intersections in Houston, TX
3. Do More Car Accidents Occur in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, or Fort Worth?
4. When Is the Most Dangerous Time to Drive in Houston?
5. What Causes Houston Auto Crashes?
6. When Should I Talk to a Houston Car Accident Lawyer?

While the information that follows can help you stay safer whenever you’re on Houston’s roads, don’t hesitate to reach out for confidential information about your rights if you are ever hurt in an auto crash in Houston, TX.

What Houston Roads Are the Most Dangerous?

Houston is the 19^th deadliest city for motorists nationwide, a recent report reveals. In Texas, Houston ranks 3^rd for having the most fatal traffic collisions.

So, what’s behind these numbers? Why is Houston the site of so many deadly motor vehicle accidents year in and year out?

The answers to those questions start to come to light when we look at some of the most dangerous intersections and roads in Houston, TX.

Top 10 Most Dangerous Roads & Intersections in Houston, TX

I-45 is the MOST dangerous road in Houston and in the U.S. Actually, the deadliest span of I-45 runs through Houston, the latest findings show, and experts say that this portion of the roadway is SO incredibly risky due to:

• Drivers’ complacency about roadway safety: With many regular commuters traveling on I-45, motorists familiar with these roads can be desensitized to their dangers, potentially taking more risks behind the wheel than they should.
  
  
• Roadway construction, with near-regular highway work projects occurring on some portion of the I-45, diverting traffic and potentially creating more complex driving conditions
  
  
• Heavy traffic and congestion, particularly during rush hours but also outside of those timeframes

Along with 1-45, other roads and intersections in Houston are also risky, with a handful earning the “most dangerous” distinction, according to this study. Those exceptionally risky intersections and roads in Houston are featured in the table below.

Several factors contribute to the risks of Houston auto accidents in these crash hot spots. Those include (and are not limited to):

• Limited visibility due to road design and curvatures, as well as parking garages, foliage, medians, and other roadway features
  
  
• Multiple lanes of traffic, making traffic conditions more complex while giving motorists far more to monitor while they are behind the wheel
  
  
• Road sign issues, including excessive signage, as well as conflicting or confusing road signs
  
  
• Irregular intersections, driveways, turnoffs, and roadway design

Do More Car Accidents Occur in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, or Fort Worth?

Houston ranks number one in Texas when it comes to car accidents. In other words, Houston has more traffic crashes than Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, and other Texas cities.

That becomes crystal clear when looking at the incidence of auto wrecks across the Lone Star State, and the table below shares a snapshot of the crash data for Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth in 2021 (the most recent year for which data is available).

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When Is the Most Dangerous Time to Be on Houston’s Roads?

Your chances of an auto accident can spike or decline, depending on when you’re on the roads in Houston. In fact, the latest data shows that most Houston car accidents occur:

• During the summer and fall: From June through October, car crashes spike across Houston and the U.S. Why? Because inexperienced teen drivers, as well as more experienced motorists, tend to spend more time on the roads during the summer and fall. 
• At night and in the early morning: In Houston and nationwide, auto accidents surge between 8:00 p.m. and 4 a.m. Limited visibility from the darkness, as well as the greater risk of drunk drivers on the roads, partly contribute to the high incidence of crashes at night.
• On the weekends: Most motor vehicle accidents take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. That’s when more drivers are on the roads, including more drunk drivers.

No matter when you’re on the roads in or outside of Houston, car accidents can happen — even if you’re doing everything right and you’re being as safe as possible. If you’re in one of those wrecks, talking to a car accident attorney can be an efficient, effective way to get answers about your rights and legal options.

What Causes Houston Auto Wrecks?

Motorist errors, carelessness, and impairment cause most traffic collisions in Houston, as well as across Texas and the U.S. In particular, that means that many Houston car accidents are caused by:

• Drunk drivers: An average of 6 drunk driving crashes occur every day on Houston’s roads. In 2020, those wrecks killed at least 79 people. That’s more drunk driving wrecks and deaths than any other city in Texas.
• Distracted drivers: Across Houston and Harris County, an average of 27 distracted driving crashes happen every day. In the course of a year, those collisions cause thousands of injuries, many of which result in serious, lasting trauma.
• Speeding: Drivers exceeding the speed limits cause an average of 5 auto wrecks every day in Houston and Harris County. These crashes often leave victims with severe and life-threatening injuries.
• Failures to comply with traffic laws: While speeding is the leading traffic violation causing crashes in Houston, drivers can break the law and be responsible for wrecks in other ways too. In fact, other traffic violations that cause many car accidents in Houston include failures to yield, improper lane passing, and unsafe lane changes.

Beyond motorist errors and negligence, more top causes of auto accidents in Houston include:

• Mechanical problems: When the equipment on vehicles malfunctions and causes crashes, it’s most often the tires, brakes, and steering systems that experience problems. Remarkably, however, defective and broken headlights, brake lights, and blinkers are also leading causes of crashes when mechanical failures are to blame.
• Unsafe road conditions: Animals and debris in the road, road maintenance failures, and weather-induced road hazards can all contribute to auto accidents in Houston. In some cases, inherently unsafe roads — like those with sharp turns or very steep grades — can also play a role in causing Houston collisions.
• Bad weather: Dense fog, heavy rain, torrential storms, and fierce crosswinds can all make it difficult to control vehicles. That’s why thousands of crashes happen in these conditions both in Houston and throughout the state.

Often, several factors contribute to Houston traffic collisions. Figuring all of them out can take thoughtful investigations and the insights of a knowledgeable professional.

When Should I Talk to a Lawyer After a Houston Auto Crash?

Talk to a Houston car accident attorney as soon as you can whenever:

• You have been hurt in a crash and you need answers about your rights and who’s at fault.
• You want to know if you have a claim and what’s involved in resolving that legal action.
• It’s time to speak to insurance companies after a crash.
• You think you have been wrongly blamed for a wreck.
• You have been offered a settlement, but you haven’t accepted it yet (and you don’t know if you should).

A Houston auto accident lawyer can give you important answers, support, and advice while explaining your options and the next steps. With limited time to pursue a claim and others working to defend against liability, you have a lot to gain by speaking with an attorney ASAP.