Despite being easily avoidable, car accidents are still a common occurrence in Fort Worth. Even though the number of crashes has decreased significantly when we were in total lockdown, the accidents somehow increased in severity since the streets were empty and people could drive as fast as they wanted to.
In Texas, the numbers remain high after the lockdown has been lifted, especially in Fort Worth. To paint a more accurate picture, we wanted to take a deeper look at the statistics for 2023 in comparison to the years before. The following report will highlight the current issue behind those numbers. Hopefully, this will prompt us to start following the law and drive more cautiously.
History of Accidents
In 2014 in Fort Worth, there was a significant increase in the number of accidents and they peaked between the years 2015 and 2017. Let’s talk about numbers for more clarity to highlight the increased severity of the situation in the past. At the beginning of these doomed years, the recorded car crashes were 5,498 while in the following year the record hit 6,192 accidents. In 2016, the number kept increasing until it reached 7,135 accidents per year. The city witnessed its highest number in 2017 with 7,220 reported accidents. A notable reduction was witnessed in 2018, however, the number still exceeded the one recorded back in 2014.
Avoiding Adding to the Statistics
Whatever caused the spike before has resolved itself, somehow, either by people following the law or because the government made a change and fixed some of the hot spots known for accidents. You can steer clear from crashes by learning how to drive responsibly, never drink and drive, and never take your eyes off the road while driving.
You might think that you can never be a number added to the statistics because you follow all of the traffic rules. However, life may not always be fair and even if you pay attention, your fellow drivers may do something out of the blue causing an accident. That’s why Fort Worth-based lawyers at www.injuryrelief.com/fort-worth-car-accident-attorneys recommend saving the number of a specialized attorney on your phone in case you get involved in a crash and you need help figuring out your next steps. In some states, when you are too late to file charges against the at-fault driver, you might lose your rights because most of the evidence would be gone by then.
The Decline in Accidents this Year
Public crash data indicate that vehicle accidents in Texas have lessened by over 40% since the start of the Covid-19 crisis. We expected that the numbers would decrease since we were all confined to our homes for the majority of the year to help decrease the spread of the disease. However, the reported collisions were still too high for a city whose people are in quarantine. The data received by the authorities showed a decline in the numbers between March and April 2020 when the WHO announced the outbreak of the virus. In March, 3,816 fatalities and 1,662 injuries were reported, while in April 2,523 and 1,110 cases were reported respectively.
Fatalities in 2020
Even though the number of crashes decreased in 2020, most of them were fatal because recklessness increased as the streets became emptier. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, collisions have dropped by almost 15% from 2019 to 2020. However, the deadly ones only declined by 3.3% in the same time frame. To help you understand, the number of deaths was 836 rather than 865 which is almost the same.
The Streak in Fort Worth
The media reported a disastrous streak of deaths in Fort Worth because of food, drinks, in-car navigation, texting, and loud music. The driver becomes isolated from his surroundings and unable to notice what’s happening outside the car. Limiting distractions is a must if we want to survive rather than die on our way to work or home. People even protested against that streak and created hashtags on social media trying to raise awareness.
The tragic thing about accidents is that they are usually easily avoidable. After witnessing a collision or experiencing one, we think to ourselves that this nightmare wouldn’t have taken place if we were all less reckless on the road. To end the horrible streak of death in Fort Worth and all over the world, we all need to start paying more attention, abide by the traffic laws, practice defensive driving, and put each other’s well-being into consideration before hitting the road.