When it comes to keeping people safe on the roads, Austin has a mixed record. You are less likely to get in a car accident in Austin than in the rest of Texas. But if you have an accident in Austin, you have a higher chance of getting hurt or dying than anywhere else in the state.
There are no good reasons why Austin car accidents are so dangerous. No matter what, a car accident in Austin can cost you a lot, affecting your health, income, and quality of life.
How often do Austin car accidents happen?
On the website of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), you can find information about how many car accidents happen in Texas each year. In 2021, 12,433 traffic crashes occurred in Austin. It was about 2.9% of all traffic crashes in Texas that year.
About 3.3% of Texans live in Austin. This means that Austin had 1,400 fewer crashes than it should have based on its share of Texas’s population. In other words, you have a much smaller chance of getting into a car accident in Austin than in the rest of Texas.
An Overview of Austin Car Accident Statistics
In 2020, there were fewer crashes overall because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, there were many more car accidents than in 2020, but overall, Austin had an average year for car accidents. And the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths in Austin in 2022 has been close to what it has been over the past five years.
Austin Car Accidents: Injuries and Deaths
In 2021, there were 113 road deaths in Austin, according to the TxDOT website. About 0.9% of the road accidents in Austin that year led to an end. This number includes 42 pedestrians, 14 motorcyclists, and three bicyclists who died in traffic crashes.
The traffic crashes in Austin also hurt 8,734 people. Five hundred eleven of them were injured badly enough to need aid to get them to the hospital. Serious injuries include being knocked out, having a major fracture, a major cut, or becoming paralyzed.
Another 3,304 people had slight injuries. Police use the word “minor injuries” to describe injuries that can be seen but do not make the person unable to move. As a result, these people did not need an emergency. Minor damage could include abrasions, small breaks, or small cuts.
In 2021, 4 919 people were thought to have injuries. Someone is believed to have an injury if they are in pain or have other signs but do not have an apparent injury. These injuries include soft tissue damage, concussions, and emotional trauma.
Causes of Car Accident in Austin
Accidents in Austin usually happen because drivers make mistakes. According to the TxDOT website, police found that distracted driving was a cause of almost 4,400 traffic accidents. This means that about 26% of traffic accidents in Austin are caused by drivers doing something else while driving.
Austin had more than 700 crashes caused by speeding. Speeding means going faster than the speed limit and too fast for the conditions. About 4.6% of car accidents in Austin were caused by these risky behaviors that people did.
Almost 1,000 crashes in Austin were caused by drunk driving. Drugs and alcohol can make it hard to think, react, and stay awake. About 8.0% of car accidents in Austin were caused by drivers who were high on drugs or drunk.
Austin Car Accident Sites
On Austin’s Vision Zero page is a map of where accidents have happened in Austin. In 2022, most car accidents happened on a few specific roads and highways in the city. Some of the most dangerous places for car crashes include:
- I-35
Traffic crashes happen all along I-35 as it goes through Austin. But the part that goes through Windsor Park and Cherrywood is hazardous. This part of I-35 had ten deaths and eight injuries in 2022.
- US-290
There are a lot of car accidents on US-290, including the area around Congress Avenue. In 2022, five accidents on this stretch of US-290 caused injuries, and one accident killed someone.
- Interchange of US-183 and TX-1/MoPac Expressway
This interchange is hazardous. In 2022, three people died, and four were hurt at this busy highway junction.
Please Set Up a Consultation with our Austin Car Accident Lawyers
Despite what the numbers say about Austin car accidents, you can still get hit by another car anywhere. To talk about your car accident and the injuries you got, contact an auto accident lawyer in Austin to set up a consultation.