Speeding, intoxicated driving, and cell phone use behind the wheel are all widespread problems on roads across the country. However, poor weather, such as snowfall and heavy rain, is another major concern that should not be overlooked. Precipitation and other weather-related events can lead to an accident in different ways in Houston and other Texas cities, from interfering with a driver’s visibility to affecting traction and causing people to lose control of their car. Moreover, snow and rain cause many of the traffic collisions that occur each year.
The Federal Highway Administration published statistics which reveal the prevalence of weather-related crashes between 2005 and 2014. During this period, rain caused more than 573,000 traffic collisions each year, on average. Moreover, an average year in this period saw over 174,000 collisions due to snow.
Many of the weather-related collisions that took place between these years involved weather and these accidents also led to many fatalities and injuries. Accidents involving snow claimed over 700 lives and caused more than 55,000 people to become injured, on average. Furthermore, accidents caused by rain left more than 2,700 people dead and over 228,000 injured during an average year.
With winter coming to an end, road conditions may improve in certain areas, but it is important for drivers to remember that weather-related hazards can persist throughout the year. When innocent lives are claimed or thrown upside down due to injuries brought on by a weather-related collision or an accident caused by any other factor, drivers who caused the crash should not get off the hook.
