Under normal circumstances, after a minor car accident the parties involved get out of their vehicles, exchange information, take pictures, and go on their way. If injuries are more severe, first responders and police are called to address injuries and create a report of the incident. Unfortunately serious injuries resulting from Houston car accidents happen far too often, sometimes with deadly consequences.

Last month, deputies from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to an accident scene in Spring, Texas. Sadly, when they arrived they found a female victim deceased in the middle of the road. After investigating the scene, authorities determined the woman was struck by at least three vehicles, all of which fled the scene of the accident. Fleeing the scene of an accident isn’t just wrong, it’s illegal and these drivers need to be held responsible.

Hit And Run Accidents

In the State of Texas, parties involved in a motor vehicle accident are required to stop and stay on the scene if the accident has caused an injury or property damage. Drivers who flee the scene of an accident can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending upon the severity of the accident. Drivers who flee the scene of a car accident where serious bodily injury or a death has occurred can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Unfortunately, these criminal penalties for hit and run drivers do nothing to help compensate the victim. In order for the victim of a hit and run accident to obtain compensation, he or she will have to file a personal injury lawsuit, which can be difficult because the guilty party left the accident scene.

Investigating Hit And Run Claims

Victims of hit and run accidents will need to partner with experienced hit and run attorneys who will be able to conduct an investigation to identify the fleeing party. A hit and run attorney will investigate the scene of the accident and the surrounding neighborhood. Oftentimes convenience stores and other businesses have surveillance cameras that contain footage of the accident. An attorney can then work with police as they file criminal charges and ensure the victim’s best interests are being protected.

The state of Texas has some of the highest posted speed limits on highways in the country. With posted speed limits up to 85 miles per hour, driving safely on Texas highways requires alert and educated drivers. Many people wrongfully assume driving slower is actually safer on the highways. While all drivers should obey posted speed limits, drivers who drive too slowly are actually more dangerous than drivers who drive too fast.

A growing number of states fine slow drivers in highway fast lanes, including Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Tennessee. This is because the biggest predictor of a motor vehicle accident is actually a driver’s variance from the average speed around him or her, not speeding.

What To Know About The Fast Lane

The leftmost lane on the highway, commonly referred to as the fast lane, has a very special purpose as its name implies. This lane is for drivers who want to go faster than surrounding traffic or drivers who want to pass slower moving vehicles. Unfortunately, not all drivers understand and adhere to the fast lane’s uses, and this causes dangerous situations.

According to research, driving five miles slower than surrounding traffic is actually more dangerous than driving five miles faster than surrounding traffic. This fact is slightly counterintuitive, but driving slower is actually more dangerous because it forces others cars to weave in and out of different lanes to get around slow moving cars. This greatly increases the likelihood of a car accident.

In addition, just one slow vehicle in the fast lane could cause traffic congestion, which can easily be compounded by another slow moving vehicle in the next lane. Whenever traffic begins to build up on the highway, drivers can get into accidents.

Drivers should also watch out for signs on Texas multi-lane highways that read “Left Lane For Passing Only,” as this indicates the left lane is not a “fast lane” but a passing lane only.

Driving Safely On The Highway

Sometimes drivers are unaware they are driving slowly, but others do it intentionally. Vehicles might drive slowly if they are pulling a trailer, suffering some type of mechanical issue, or simply because the drivers believe driving slower is safer. If drivers are going to get onto any Texas highway, they need to operate at the same speed as the vehicles around them. Failing to do so is reckless, and could cause other innocent motorists to get hurt.

Learning to drive is an important milestone in life, and while teenagers might find this liberating, driving is a serious responsibility. Because of their inexperience, teenage drivers more often engage in risky driving behaviors that put themselves, their passengers, and surrounding motorists at risk of injury or death.

Dangers faced by teen drivers include:

• Cell Phones – With the vast majority of teens owning a cell phone, using a cell phone while driving is a serious problem. Cell phone use takes a driver’s hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, and mind off the task of driving.
• Other Distractions – From talking to passengers to personal grooming, teen drivers don’t always understand how dangerous these seemingly innocent actions can be.
• Reckless Driving – Teenage drivers might find it exhilarating to race their friends on the roadways, speed through stop lights and stop signs, and engage in other reckless driving behaviors, but these behaviors are incredibly careless. Not only can reckless driving cause accidents, but reckless driving can also increase the severity of accidents.
• Drinking and Driving – Although the drinking age is 21, some teenagers will find ways to drink, and some will drink and drive. Because they don’t want to get caught drinking illegally, many teen drivers will drink and drive rather than call a cab or ask for a ride home from a sober family member.
• Not wearing a seatbelt – Seatbelts can save your life in the event of a crash. Despite this, some teenagers might not use seatbelts for various reasons.

The risk of a car accident is higher for teenage drivers than any other age group. Every year, around 2,800 thousand teenagers die in auto accidents and hundreds of thousands more are injured. The best way to prevent car accidents caused by teen drivers is to talk to your teenagers about the responsibility of driving. Drivers who don’t drive safely put themselves, their passengers, and other motorists at an unnecessary risk.

Where Do Teens Learn Dangerous Driving Behaviors?

A study from Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Liberty Mutual surveyed 2,500 teen drivers and 1,000 parents, finding 55% of parents used some kind of application on their cell phone while driving and 62% talk on their cell phone while driving. The study also found that teens know the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. Thirty-three percent of teens have asked their parents to not use a cell phone while driving.

Unfortunately, even when they are not behind the wheel, parents can still teach their teenage drivers bad driving habits. The study also found that 50% of parents admitted calling their teenager when they knew he or she was driving at the time of the call.

Set A Good Example

There is no excuse for using a cell phone while driving or engaging in any other distracted driving behavior. To make the roads safer for everyone, parents have to set a good example for their teen drivers. This means all drivers should put down their phones and focus on the task of driving.