Driver Killed In Fiery Crash
On April 19, San Antonio police responded to a single-vehicle accident on Alamo Ranch Parkway, with one person being pronounced dead at the scene. From what first responders were able to put together, the car struck a curb and went airborne, eventually colliding with a light pole and catching fire. There was no indication of any other driver being a factor in the accident. This is not uncommon, especially on Texas’s fast-paced roads – single-vehicle accidents are a major cause of traffic fatalities in the state, most often through no fault of any individual.
Common Cause of Accident Deaths/Injuries
Single-vehicle accidents, though seemingly uncommon, actually account for a surprising amount of injuries and fatalities on Texas roads. This is especially true of the variety where a single vehicle drifts off the road (referred to in studies as an ROR, or run-off-road accident) – statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) state that this type of accident accounts for as high as 70 percent of the fatalities in single-vehicle accidents. Texas figures report that single-vehicle accidents accounted for almost 1,300 deaths in the year 2015 (the most recent available data).
There are multiple different factors that were examined as being possible explanations for all or part of this phenomenon, with some having particular significance to Texans. A much higher proportion of fatal single-vehicle accidents involved speeding drivers, especially in rural areas, and this tracks closely with accidents that occur on Texas roads – many speeding drivers wind up involved in auto accidents, especially on Texas rural roads where the speed limit is generally higher than in the city (meaning that those who wish to speed will often go even faster).
Bringing Suit
While it may seem pointless to think about bringing suit after a single-vehicle accident, it is sometimes the case that an outside actor had enough of an impact on your car that but for their actions, your accident might not have occurred. If this is the case, you may be able to bring suit to try and recover for your injuries. For example, one common type of this suit includes finding that some part of your car failed, such as brakes or the roof hatch. If you have reasonable evidence that this occurred, you might bring suit against the manufacturer of the part (or the car) under a theory of product liability.
Another common suit brought as regards a single vehicle accident is to sue the driver of a second car that may have swerved or otherwise interacted with your car but did not crash into you. Such a driver can still be held liable for your accident in some situations because there are occasions where it is possible to show that if that driver did not act in that way, the accident plausibly might not have occurred.
Call Our Experienced Attorneys
While the unfortunate driver in the Alamo Parkway accident did not survive his single-vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation if you survive yours. The skilled New Braunfels car accident at the Bettersworth Law Firm are well versed in this type of case and are happy to sit down with you to try and answer any questions you may have. Contact our office today to set up an appointment.
Sources:
https://www.ksat.com/traffic/driver-dies-after-vehicle-catches-fire-explodes-in-crash-with-light-pole
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CP/htm/CP.82.htm
https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2015/01.pdf
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811232
