As the second-most populous state, Texas sees a lot of vehicle traffic every single day. The highways, routes, and interstates that cross Texas help keep this traffic organized. But only so much can be done to stop negligent drivers from hitting the road and then hitting other motorists.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), there are nearly 4,000 deaths and more than 14,000 severe injuries suffered in traffic accidents across the state in an average year. Many of the car accidents that cause these terrible injuries happen on highways. Specifically, a handful of highways in Texas see an inordinate amount of crashes each year due to their significant popularity among motorists.
Five of the most dangerous highways in Texas include:
- I-35: If you want to go from Laredo at the Tex-Mex border and up to Lake Superior, use the I-35. But be careful. With this interstate going past San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth, it is constantly packed with commuters, and not all of them are defensive drivers.
- I-10: Stretching the entire east-west length of Texas, the I-10 continues to hit the Pacific Coast in California and nearly reach the Atlantic Ocean in Florida. Due to its extreme length and the fact that it is one of the only major east-west interstates in Texas, it is also one of the most dangerous due to a high number of reckless drivers on it at all times.
- I-45: Traveling from Dallas to Houston and Galveston is easy when following I-45. Unfortunately, this same stretch of highway is one of the most dangerous in Texas. It is almost 300 miles long, and, in some years, it has seen nearly that many traffic fatalities.
- I-37: Corpus Christi is a major gas and oil hub for the entire country. To get tankers out of the city for deliveries and processing, most trucks use the I-37. This interstate is notorious for its dangers, especially regarding a higher-than-average risk of truck accidents.
- Route 290: The only highway on this list that isn’t technically an interstate, Route 290 between Austin and Houston isn’t any less dangerous on an average day. The route allows direct travel between these two cities in about 3 hours, making it the ideal choice for millions of motorists and truckers each year. The more people on the road, though, the higher the inherent risk of a crash.
Legal Help After a Highway Accident in Texas
Want to stay out of a highway accident when traveling through Texas? Try to stay off the five highways we mentioned above. But, if you need to use them for your route, and you get into a crash, then you should know how to seek legal compensation for your damages.
Working with a car accident attorney local to your area is a good starting point. With their help, you can understand your rights as an injured driver and pursue a full amount of compensation with far less stress than if you tried to manage your case on your own. Here in Houston, people know they can trust Payne Law Firm for their cases, whether they end in a settlement or courtroom litigation.
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