Three Injured in 18-Wheeler Collision in Brownsville

On Thursday, July 20, a woman and two children were injured in a Brownsville car accident involving an 18-wheeler. Learn the details of the crash and more information about semi-truck accidents from your McAllen car accident attorneys at Villalobos Law Firm.

The 18-Wheeler Crash

Authorities report that they received a call about a major collision in the 6900 block of Padre Island Highway at 9:03 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Details about the incident are limited, but a news release from police stated that an 18-wheeler crashed into a vehicle on SPI Hwy. As a result of the crash, a woman and two children suffered non-life-threatening injuries. They were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Following the crash, motorists in the Brownsville area were asked to use alternative routes to avoid the crash scene.

The Danger of 18-Wheeler Accidents

Due to the size and weight of the vehicles involved, 18-wheeler accidents have the potential to be even more dangerous than other kinds of car accidents. Unfortunately, that added danger is reflected in the statistics surrounding Texas truck accidents.

In 2022, there were nearly 500 deadly semi-truck crashes in Texas. In fact, out of all semi-truck crashes, roughly 2% of all semi-truck in Texas that year were deadly. Thankfully, this is a very small portion of all truck accidents, but it’s still far higher than the proportion of passenger car accidents that are fatal. For comparison, less than 1% of passenger car accidents are deadly. This means you’re more than twice as likely to die in an accident involving a semi-truck than one only involving passenger vehicles.

We find something similar when we analyze how likely you are to be seriously injured in a semi-truck crash. While just 2% of all Texas passenger vehicle accidents in 2022 resulted in a serious injury, roughly 4% of all semi-truck accidents during that same period led to a serious injury.

Common Causes of 18-Wheeler Accidents

Along with the usual top causes of car accidents, things like distraction and poor weather conditions, 18-wheeler accidents can also be caused by a few specific issues that especially affect semi-trucks and semi-truck drivers:

• Driver Fatigue — anyone can get too sleepy to drive safely, but truckers’ busy schedules make it more likely that they’ll be driving on too little sleep.
• Drug Use — again, anyone can make the bad decision to drive while under the influence, but truck drivers may be more likely to use drugs and drive as a way to combat their fatigue.
• Improper Loading — if the cargo in a semi-truck isn’t loaded properly, it can shift and sway while in transit, potentially causing the truck to turn over or the driver to lose control.
• Poor Vehicle Maintenance — semi-trucks see a lot of heavy use, and all that wear and tear can quickly add up. If a truck isn’t maintained properly, it can malfunction, leading to crashes.

Remember, these are just a few of the issues that particularly impact the likelihood of semi-truck crashes, but normal problems like speeding and reckless driving are also top causes of truck accidents.

If you’ve been involved in an 18-wheeler accident in Texas, a McAllen car accident attorney can help you find the path forward.

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Source: Valley Central 4