Texas’ Poor Highway Safety Record Is Worrying

No blanket ban on texting while driving for all motorists, poor laws against drunk driving – these are just 2 of the reasons why a national safety group has ranked Texas at the bottom of the pile for highway safety.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety conducts an annual review of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on whether the states have enacted 15 safety laws.  These laws are related to seatbelt use and booster seat use, drunk driving, distracted driving, and teen driver rules.  The state of Texas has been ranked at the bottom of the lot for dangerously low enactment of these 15 laws.

Out of the 15 recommended rules, Texas has failed to adopt 8.  That is a pathetic record, and the state needs to do better in keeping motorists safer.  Unfortunately, legislators have lagged behind in enforcing critical rules, like a ban on texting while driving for all motorists, which is the least that can be done to help keep motorists safe from the risk of accidents caused by distracted motorists.

The Texas Department of Transportation insists that Texas has done a good job in certain key areas, like increasing seat belt use rates, which currently stand at approximately 94%.  There have also been key improvements in reducing the number of drunk driving accidents.

However, Houston car accident attorney believe that more could be done to keep more motorists and motorcyclists safer in the state of Texas.  For instance, an all – rider helmet mandate for motorcyclists could keep help reduce the number of people killed in motorcycle accidents.  Texas also needs stronger restrictions for teenage drivers, and tougher laws against drunk driving.