On May 10 a Texas woman was killed in an automobile accident that occurred shortly after 9:45 a.m. The collision occurred on Interstate 20 near Rankin Highway. Traffic in the area had been slower than normal due to two minor collisions that had occurred nearby.
Penalty for hit and run auto accident may soon increase
The family of a pedestrian killed in a car accident has worked to change the law after the criminal case against the driver failed to satisfy their need for justice. Under Texas law, Intoxication Manslaughter is a serious charge, but Failure to Stop and Render Aid carries a lesser sentence. A drunk driver may receive a lesser penalty for fleeing the scene of a car accident instead of stopping to provide assistance.
Texas lawmakers discuss felony punishments for hit-and-runs
Many Texas readers might agree that fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident is almost never a good idea. In addition to the potential criminal liability that a hit-and-run driver might later face, the behavior simply looks bad. A personal injury attorney might even suggest that the behavior indicates fault -- that a driver knew he or she was in the wrong, and tried to run away from that mistake in the heat of the moment.
El Paso driver injures victim in DWI-related crash
El Paso police recently arrested a woman who may have been driving while intoxicated. However, authorities were not able to apprehend the alleged DWI offender before she caused a motor vehicle accident.
New city tax may deter distracted Texas drivers
Texas readers may know that the state's speed limits are among the highest in the nation. There might be some justification for those high speeds, as many of Texas' highways are expansive, flat and very easy to drive. However, higher speeds also increase the potential damage that may occur in car accidents.
Texas lawmakers turn attention to texting while driving
In a recent press statement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed its commitment to fighting distracted driving caused by smartphone usage in 2013. Ultimately, the NHTSA hopes for a national program dedicated to this issue, comparable to its existing initiatives against impaired driving and driving without a seatbelt.
Texas ranks low among states for road safety
Texas has some of the most relaxed highway safety laws in the country, according to a recent report released by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Records from the Texas Department of Transportation show that there has been at least one fatality on a Texas roadway every day for more than a decade. The last time that Texas had a fatality-free day was November 7, 2000.
San Antonio drunk driving suspect arrested for fatal accident
Readers in El Paso may remember hearing about a fatal accident that claimed the life of three people near San Antonio last year. The driver who was accused of causing it was believed to have been intoxicated, but police have just recently arrested him. He had disappeared shortly after he was discharged from the hospital following the July crash. Now, however, police have found him and charged him with three counts of intoxication manslaughter.
CDC study finds one in 24 drivers doze off
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control found that one in 24 adult drivers report dozing off briefly while behind the wheel.
Pageant winner involved in alleged drunk driving car accident
A local beauty queen in the running to continue to compete in the Miss America pageant circuit has been accused of an aggravated DWI after her involvement in a car accident that felled an electricity pole, cutting off power to hundreds of businesses in the area. The pole also fell onto several other cars, although there are no reports of injuries.
