Only 2% of Texans live in the Permian Basin – a roughly 86,000-square-mile basin in West Texas and portions of New Mexico. Despite that, this is where 11% of traffic deaths occurred in Texas in 2017, according to a new report from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Of 3,721 traffic deaths in Texas that year, 405 occurred in the Permian Basin. What’s even more disturbing, this doesn’t account for the 1,457 serious auto injuries the Permian Basin saw the same year.
How does one relatively small region see 43,661 car accidents and all those injuries and deaths? And what should we be doing to stop it from happening? At The Kemmy Law Firm, we’re here for the victims of Permian Basin car accidents, so they are aware of their legal options.
The ‘Why’ Behind the Numbers
Before the recent slowdown, mostly due to COVID-19, the Permian Basin was the epicenter for oil and gas production in Texas. With all that activity, you get a lot of large trucks and commercial vehicles on the roads.
Drivers may not account for the slower start speeds of large trucks or forget that these vehicles make wide turns. And truckers may speed, drive for long shifts, or engage in other negligent driving behaviors.
Add to that the fact that constant heavy truck traffic puts a lot of stress on the roads. Poor road conditions can easily lead to car accidents.
These conditions are prevalent in the Permian Basin and account for many local car accidents. But sadly, when it comes to car accidents in Texas, the usual suspects cause the vast majority of the accidents in the Permian Basin.
The most common causes of car accidents in the Permian Basin are:
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Speeding
- Drowsy driving
Dangerous Roads in the Permian Basin
Any road can become a dangerous road when other drivers are being careless or negligent. But in the Permian Basin, one road stands out from the rest: Route 285. It has even earned a scary nickname from the locals – “Death Highway.”
Route 285 is one of the primary roads used to transport supplies to the oilfields in the Permian Basin’s Texas side. That means lots of trucks and other large vehicles. So, it’s perhaps not surprising that this is one of the most dangerous roads in the area.
Other Permian Basin roads with heavy traffic and plenty of accidents include the following:
- Interstate 20
- U.S. Highway 385
- State Highway 302
- State Highway 115
- State Highway 18
How Can We Make Texas Roads Safer?
There is no doubt about it – roads in the Permian Basin can be dangerous. But what can we do to make these roads safer for all drivers?
TxDOT is working on an $800 million project to repair and expand Interstate 20 through Midland and Ector counties. And the agency dumped around $22 million into road maintenance in 2018. While this is all encouraging, it clearly isn’t enough to stop the high number of Texas car accidents.
The most important way to make Texas roads safer is for everyone to drive with care – for their safety and the safety of others. If every Texan driving in the Permian Basin did their part to prevent car crashes, we could see those high numbers of deaths and crashes drop sharply.
Sadly, too many drivers refuse to care about the safety of other drivers. And the result is preventable injuries and deaths in car accidents.
Hurt in a Texas Car Accident? You Have Options
If you are one of the countless people who have been injured in a car accident in the Permian Basin, you have legal options. Under Texas law, you can hold the person who caused your accident accountable for your injuries and damages by filing a car accident lawsuit.
If your lawsuit is successful, you can recover compensation that accounts for every way in which you have been harmed. But you will face dishonest insurance companies and at-fault drivers who don’t want to own up to their actions. The good news is that an experienced lawyer can help you win your car accident lawsuit.
Speak With a Car Accident Lawyer
To speak with a highly successful Texas car accident lawyer in or around the Ector, Lea, Pecos, or Andrews County regions of the Permian Basin, reach out to The Kemmy Law Firm. With offices in Odessa, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Hobbs, New Mexico, and over 50 years of experience in car accident cases, we’re here to help.
Let us assess your case during a free, no-obligation consultation and explain your next steps. Call (830) 264-6297 or contact us online today.
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