Car Accidents

As our population in Corpus Christi continues to grow, the number of fatal accidents on our highways and roadways also, unfortunately, show an increase each year. According to statistics from City-Data, there were 34 fatal car accidents on Corpus Christi roads in 2017, up from 29 in 2016 and 2015, and 24 in 2014. In the last five years, our city has steadily seen more and more fatal car accidents. However, these statistics only represent the number of car accidents each year. The number of actual fatalities is higher each year than the accident count because multiple people in an accident can be killed at one time. In 2017, there were 37 fatalities on roads and highways in Corpus Christi.

These devastating statistics only tell part of the story when it comes to fatal car accidents. While the numbers alone are shocking, they fail to tell about the tragic loss that families face when they have lost a loved one in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident. If the accident was caused by the reckless or negligent actions of another person or party, it is especially devastating, because it is often clear that the accident could have been prevented if the party involved had behaved in a responsible manner. One example of this is when fatalities are caused by the recklessness of drunk drivers. As a coastal city with a lot to offer to tourists and locals alike, Corpus Christi is, unfortunately, a hot-spot for this kind of car accident.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2017, Nueces County had the most accidents involving alcohol (DUI) on the entire coastline, with 442 crashes and nine deaths–seven of which occurred in Corpus Christi. More broadly, the state of Texas had a total of 23,760 crashes and suffered 1,024 deaths due to the negligence of drivers under the influence of alcohol, which is 28% of the total number of deaths on Texas roadways in that year. Of these 2017 fatalities, 199 of them were either passengers in other cars or pedestrians who were hit by a driver under the influence of alcohol. There were 137 of these fatalities in 2017. Distracted driving is another way drivers can be negligent and cause fatalities.

Also according to the Texas Department of Transportation, 2017 saw 606 crashes in Nueces County that were caused by distracted driving. Six of those crashes resulted in fatalities. In Texas in 2017, there were 449 fatalities due to distracted driving out of 100,798 crashes. Distracted driving is making Texas roads steadily more dangerous as smartphones and in-vehicle distractions draw drivers’ attention away from the road. For a city such as Corpus Christi that attracts a lot of out-of-town visitors, distracted driving poses a particular threat as people use their phones to look up directions and attractions. Distracted driving can also be caused by other factors such as grooming, eating or drinking, or being distracted by passengers. No matter the cause, distracted driving is negligent driving, and as long as drivers continue to prioritize other matters over the safe operation of the vehicle, serious and possibly fatal accidents will continue to happen. There were zero days in Texas in 2017 without car accident fatalities, with 3,721 motor vehicle traffic fatalities in total.

If your loved one was killed in a collision in Corpus Christi, you do not have to shoulder the grief and burden of supporting your family alone. You have the right to pursue legal action against the individual or individuals responsible for the accident, and may be eligible for compensation for your pain, suffering, loss of companionship, and loss of support following a fatal crash. An experienced, compassionate attorney will stand by you and your family during your time of need and may be able to help you recover the fair and just compensation you deserve while holding the party accountable for their reckless actions.