Car accidents in rural areas

Car Accidents
August 28, 2024

Fatal Car Accidents In Rural Texas

Throughout my career I have noticed a disturbing trend in the amount of fatality car accidents in rural areas of Central Texas.

Here are some interesting statistics about fatal automobile accidents in rural areas of the US within the last five years:

  1. Higher Fatality Rates in Rural Areas: In 2021, rural areas accounted for 45% of all traffic fatalities, despite only making up 19% of the US population. This indicates a significantly higher fatality rate in rural regions compared to urban areas.

  2. Alcohol-Impaired Driving: In fatal crashes, 54% of alcohol-impaired drivers were in rural areas compared to 46% in urban areas. Alcohol use in rural areas highlights a much deeper problem in Central Texas and across the state. In 2022, Texas saw 1,162 fatalities due to drunk driving, roughly three deaths every day. In response, Texas law enforcement agencies have ramped up efforts to curb drunk driving, especially around holidays, which see a spike in alcohol-related crashes.

  3. Lack of Seatbelt Use: 50% of the fatalities in rural areas involved individuals not wearing seat belts.

For more detailed information, you can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s page on crash statistics here: CrashStats.

What About Car Accidents In Rural Texas?

Fatal automobile accidents in rural areas of Texas is also a huge problem:

  1. Daily Fatalities: Texas has experienced at least one traffic fatality every day for more than two decades. On average, there are about 12 roadway deaths daily across the state, many of which occur in rural areas where road conditions and response times can vary significantly​ (TxDOT).

  2. Increase in Fatalities: In 2021, Texas recorded 4,480 traffic fatalities, making it the second deadliest year since the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began tracking these statistics in 1940. This increase reflects a broader trend of rising traffic deaths both in Texas and nationwide​ (TxDOT).

  3. Impact of Unsafe Driving Behaviors: In 2021, speeding was a significant factor in rural road accidents, resulting in 1,522 fatalities among Texans. Additionally, 1,219 deaths were due to individuals not wearing seat belts. These behaviors, which are more prevalent in rural areas, contributed substantially to the overall fatality count​ (TxDOT).

  4. Safety Measures and Roadway Design: To combat these high fatality rates, TxDOT has been implementing several safety measures. These include increasing pavement striping size, creating wider centerline buffers with rumble strips, and building roundabouts where appropriate. Such measures have proven effective in reducing fatalities by improving road visibility and safety (TxDOT).

personal injury areas of focus - texas flag

Which Parts of Central Texas are Considered ‘Rural’?

Although there are parts of Hays, Travis and Williamson counties that are considered “the sticks,” these Central Texas counties are considered rural based on population density and overall development. Some of the rural counties in Central Texas include:

  • Llano County: Located northwest of Austin, Llano County is known for its small population and rural landscape, characterized by ranching and agriculture.
  • San Saba County: North of Llano, San Saba County is sparsely populated and heavily reliant on farming and ranching, making it a quintessential rural county.
  • Mills County: Situated to the north of San Saba County, Mills County is known for its low population density and extensive rural areas.
  • Lampasas County: West of Bell County, Lampasas County is rural with a small population spread across a larger geographic area, relying heavily on agriculture.
  • Mason County: Located further west of Llano County, Mason County is characterized by its rural setting and sparse population.
  • Coryell County: While some parts are more developed, much of Coryell County, located west of Waco, is considered rural, especially outside the city of Gatesville.
  • Burnet County: Northwest of Travis County (which includes Austin), Burnet County includes rural areas along with some developing regions.

 

Car Accident News In And Around Austin

Rural/Urban Comparison of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities

A couple of additional factors to consider:  Rural areas have a disproportionate amount of SUV’s and pickups when compared with urban areas.  SUVs and Pickups are more prone to rollover accidents than traditional cars. As a result, Texans in rural areas tend to be at greater risk.

Finally, I believe that road conditions are worse on our Farm to County roads than in urban areas.  Narrow lanes, animals and debris in the roadways, steep embankments, and lack of traffic signals are all contributing factors to the disproportionate amount of rural vs. urban accidents.

Come See Us—We Work With Accident Victims Outside of Austin

Whether you have been involved in a rural or an urban car accident, the lawyers at Funk & Associates are here to help.  Call us now, you won’t regret it.

Car Accident News In And Around Austin

  • Crash Alert: 2 hospitalized in 5-car crash on I-35 NB near 51st St (11/15/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A multi-vehicle crash along the interstate in east-central Austin sent two people to the hospital on Wednesday, reports KVUE. The accident happened around 6:15 a.m. on the northbound side of I-35 between East 51st Street and Reinli Street. This is just west of the Capital Plaza shopping center.  There’s no word yet
  • Crash Alert: Cyclist struck, seriously hurt at Guadalupe and Airport (11/14/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A cyclist sustained injuries Thursday morning when a vehicle struck them at a busy intersection in central Austin, reports ATCEMS. FINAL Auto vs Bicycle Collision at Guadalupe St / Airport Blvd (11:49). #ATCEMSMedics are transporting an adult patient reportedly struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle, to Dell Seton Medical Center
  • Crash Alert: APD investigates fatal auto-ped. crash at Montopolis and Crumley (11/13/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person sustained fatal injuries Monday evening when a vehicle struck them along a busy roadway in southeast Austin, reports CBS Austin. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the area of Montopolis Drive and Crumley Lane, which is west of Highway 183 and south of Colorado River Park Wildlife Sanctuary. Police
  • Crash Alert: 1 killed in auto-pedestrian crash on I-35 SB at Braker (11/12/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Austin Police are investigating a pedestrian crash that killed one person Tuesday morning in northeast Austin, reports KXAN. The accident occurred just after 3:30 p.m. on the southbound side of I-35 near Braker Lane. This is in the Walnut Forest area, just southeast of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park. Authorities haven’t yet commented
  • Crash Report: 2 hurt, 1 in custody after DUI crash on US-290 at FM 1100 (11/11/2024) - MANOR, TX – Two people sustained injuries Saturday in an alleged DUI crash along the highway in Manor, reports CBS Austin. Emergency teams reported to the intersection of US-290 westbound and FM 1100 around 7:20 p.m. This is south of Heart of Texas Metalworks. Police haven’t yet specified the number of vehicles involved in the
  • Crash Alert: Extrication crash on Dessau near Collinwood injures 1 (11/8/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person was hurt Wednesday night in a multi-vehicle accident along a major roadway in northeast Austin, reports KXAN. The crash happened just after 9 p.m. on Dessau Road near the intersection with Collinwood West Drive. This is east of I-35 and west of Jourdan-Bahman Pioneer Farms. Police haven’t disclosed the cause
  • Crash Alert: Crews respond to pin-in crash on US-290 near El Rey (11/7/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Emergency teams responded to a two-vehicle crash with entrapment Wednesday night along the highway in West Oak Hill, reports ATCEMS. Vehicle Rescue at 8160-8256 W Us 290 Hwy (21:11, x-st El Rey Blvd). #ATCEMS, @OakHillFire & @AustinFireInfo are on scene of a reported collision involving a vehicle & a dump truck, with 2
  • Crash Alert: Man killed in motorcycle crash on E Anderson near I-35 (11/6/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – An 18-year-old died Saturday in a motorcycle accident along a major roadway in central Austin, reports CBS Austin. The crash happened just after 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of East Anderson Lane westbound and I-35. This is just north of the St. John’s area. It’s still unclear what may have caused the
  • FAQ: I was just in a car wreck. Should I take pictures? (11/6/2024) - FAQ: I was just in a car wreck. Should I take pictures?   The short answer is, yes! Take photos and document the scene, the vehicles, their positions, and any surface markings on the street or pavement following the collision. It is vital to document as much evidence as possible before it is altered. Even
  • Crash Alert: APD investigates fatal hit-and-run at Ben White near S 1st (11/5/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A 42-year-old woman died Sunday when a vehicle struck her along a major roadway in south-central Austin, reports KVUE. Emergency teams responded to the eastbound service road of West Ben White Boulevard near South First Street. This is just east of St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. Police say the victim, identified
  • Crash Alert: Wrong-way crash on US-183 near Maha Loop kills 2 (11/4/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A wrong-way collision along US-183 in southeast Austin proved fatal early Sunday morning, reports KXAN News. The accident happened just before 5:30 a.m. near the intersection with Maha Loop Road, which is north of TX-45 and south of Clinger Road. Police haven’t shared any details regarding the circumstances of the collision except
  • Crash Alert: 3-vehicle crash on Hwy 30 near Bird Pond injures 2 (11/1/2024) - COLLEGE STATION, TX – A multi-vehicle crash along the highway on the far-east side of College Station injured two people on Tuesday, reports KBTX 3. The accident happened just before 7 a.m. on TX-30 near Bird Pond road. This is just south of the Enchanted Oaks area.  Police say that an eastbound Volkswagen Beetle rear-ended
  • Crash Alert: Vehicle hits, fatally injures pedestrian at I-35 and Teri Rd (10/31/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person died last Saturday night when a vehicle struck them along the I-35 service road in South Austin, reports KXAN. Emergency teams reported to the intersection of the northbound service road and Teri Road around 11:20 p.m. This is just northwest of KIPP Texas Public Schools South Campus. Police haven’t shared
  • Crash Alert: 4-car crash on Burleson near Emma Browning injures 5 (10/30/2024) - AUSTIN, TX –  Five people sustained injuries Saturday night in a multi-vehicle crash near the airport in southeast Austin, reports KVUE. The accident happened around 9 p.m. on Burleson Road near the South Terminal of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. This is near Richard Moya Park and the intersection with TX-130. Police haven’t yet identified the cause
  • Crash Alert: Car hits, injures 6 pedestrians on Bastrop Hwy near airport (10/29/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Two adults and one child went to the hospital Sunday after a vehicle struck them and three others near the airport, reports CBS Austin. The incident occurred around 8:50 p.m. on the northbound side of Bastrop Highway near the split with US-183. This is just north of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in southeast
  • Crash Alert: Man hit by truck, killed on I-35 SB near Engel Rd (10/28/2024) - NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – An 18-wheeler struck and fatally injured an Austin man Thursday on the southwest side of New Braunfels, reports KSAT 12. Emergency teams responded to the southbound side of I-35 near Engel Road around 9:15 a.m. This is near the Reserve at Engel Road. Police say the pedestrian, whom they’ve identified as
  • Crash Alert: Wrong-way crash on Thomas Arnold in Salado kills 1, injures 2 (10/25/2024) - SALADO, TX – A woman died, and a child sustained serious injuries Wednesday in a wrong-way crash along a major Salado roadway, reports Fox 44 News.  The accident happened just before 5:20 p.m. on Thomas Arnold Road near West Creek Drive. This is just west of Thomas Arnold Elementary School. Police say that the victim’s
  • Crash Alert: Ejection crash near Guadalupe and Northway injures 2 (10/24/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Two people were seriously hurt Thursday evening in a single-vehicle crash in central Austin, reports ATCEMS. Collision with Ejection at 7635 Guadalupe St (18:13). #ATCEMS & @AustinFireInfo are on scene of a reported vehicle into a tree with 2 patients involved, one who was possibly ejected from their vehicle. Expect #ATXTraffic delays in
  • Crash Alert: Angry driver strikes pedestrians near Elmont and Pleasant Valley (10/23/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Two people went to the hospital Tuesday night after a vehicle struck them and at least two others in an Austin parking lot. According to Spectrum News 1, the accident happened just after 4:30 p.m. in the area of Elmont Drive and South Pleasant Valley Road, which is just south of the
  • Crash Alert: Multi-vehicle crash on I-35 SB near Grand Ave Pkwy injures 3 (10/22/2024) - PFLUGERVILLE, TX – A crash involving at least one semi and a sedan along the interstate in Pflugerville injured three people Monday, reports KVUE. The accident happened late Monday night on the southbound side of I-35 near Grand Avenue Parkway. This is just northeast of the Wells Branch area and south of TX-45. Police haven’t
  • Multiple Large Trucks, Automobiles Involved In I-35 Southbound Accident Near Grand Avenue Parkway (10/22/2024) - I-35 in Pflugerville was shut down at some point after midnight due to a very serious accident. Multiple sources say at least five commercial trucks were involved in an accident with several cars that were crushed and scattered about. Three people were injured in the crash, according to the Pflugerville Fire Department. One of those
  • Crash Report: Train vs. car crash at McNeil and CR 172 hurts 2 (10/21/2024) - ROUND ROCK, TX – Two people sustained injuries Sunday morning when a train collided with a car in Round Rock, reports KXAN. The accident happened around 7 a.m. at a railroad crossing in the area of East McNeil Road and County Road 172. This is just south of the Round Rock West Greenbelt in the
  • Crash Alert: Solo crash at TX-71 and Thomas Springs kills 1 (10/18/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A rush hour crash at an Oak Hill intersection resulted in a fatality Friday morning in Austin, reports KVUE. The accident happened sometime before 8:40 a.m. on Thomas Springs Road at TX-71, which is just south of the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve. Police haven’t shared any details about the circumstances of the
  • Crash Alert: Cyclist dies 3 weeks after crash on E. Stassney near Burleson (10/17/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – A cyclist died last Thursday from injuries sustained when an alleged DWI driver struck him three weeks prior in South Austin, reports KVUE. The accident happened on Friday, September 20th, at 8:30 p.m. on East Stassney Lane between Burleson Road and Nuckols Crossing Road. APD hasn’t shared many details regarding the circumstances
  • Crash Alert: 1 killed in solo rollover at E Stassney and I-35 (10/16/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Police are investigating a single-vehicle rollover that killed one person Tuesday in south Austin, reports KVUE. The accident happened just after 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of East Stassney Lane and the northbound frontage road for I-35. This is just northwest of McKinney Falls State Park. There’s no word yet regarding the
  • Crash Alert: Garbage truck strikes, kills pedestrian on Atlas Pear Dr (10/15/2024) - COLLEGE STATION, TX – One person died Tuesday when they were struck by a garbage truck on the southwest side of College Station, reports the College Station Police Department. The accident happened some time around 10:20 a.m. in the parking lot of the Lake Walk at Traditions apartment complex, which is located at 8175 Atlas
  • Crash Alert: 1 seriously hurt in crash at E 7th and Comal (10/14/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – One person sustained critical injuries in a single-vehicle crash near downtown Austin on Sunday, reports ATCEMS. Vehicle Rescue at E 7th St / Comal St (18:45). #ATCEMS & @AustinFireInfo responded to a reported single vehicle collision with one patient who was pinned in their vehicle. The patient has now been extricated &
  • Crash Report: Motorcycle crash near TX-6 and Holleman kills 1, injures 1 (10/11/2024) - COLLEGE STATION, TX – One person died and another was hurt late last month in a College Station motorcycle accident, reports Fox 44 News. The incident occurred Saturday, September 28th, just before noon on the Texas 6 Frontage Road near Holleman Drive East. This is just east of Post Oak Mall. Police say the motorcycle
  • Crash Alert: APD continues investigation of July hit-and-run on William Cannon (10/10/2024) - AUSTIN, TX – Police are still actively searching for the driver responsible for the July crash that killed a male pedestrian in South Austin, reports KXAN. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 30th, around 1 a.m. on West William Cannon Drive, just south of Armadillo Neighborhood Park. Police are searching for a white four-door pickup
  • Crash Alert: Seguin T-bone crash on TX-123 at E Cedar kills 1 (10/9/2024) - SEGUIN, TX – A 59-year-old Austin woman died Saturday in a two-vehicle collision along the highway in central Guadalupe County, reports Seguin Today. The accident happened just before 2 p.m. at the intersection of southbound TX-123 and East Cedar Street on the northeast side of Seguin, just east of Seguin High School. Police say that
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