If you were hurt in an auto collision in Houston, Texas, call Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers at (281) 667-4081 to schedule a free consultation. Our Houston car accident lawyer may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries on your behalf.
Certain types of roads come with higher crash risks than others. While the most dangerous roads/intersections in Houston, TX, are spread throughout the city, they tend to share common features, such as congestion and inadequate traffic controls. In fact, according to the Vision Zero Action Plan, about 6% of the city’s roads and intersections account for 60% of car crashes.
Tens of thousands of traffic crashes happen in the area every year, and the locations of these accidents might affect who is responsible for any injuries or property damage. Call our Houston personal injury attorneys to learn more about how we can help.
How Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident on Dangerous Roads in Houston, TX
When you suffer an injury in a car crash caused by a negligent or aggressive driver, you need a strong legal team with extensive experience in these kinds of cases. That’s where we come in.
Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers has been representing car crash victims for over a decade. With over 43 years of combined legal experience, we have recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards for our clients.
Our Houston personal injury lawyers can support your case by:
- Assessing your accident and determining the legal claims you can pursue
- Building your case by gathering medical reports and other evidence
- Preparing your insurance claim and negotiating to settle it
- Litigating your case against the at-fault driver if their insurer rejects a settlement
A car accident can result in significant financial losses due to medical bills and lost income. Contact us to request a free consultation with a trusted Houston car accident attorney to learn how we can protect your rights and future.
What Factors Make a Road or Intersection More Dangerous?
Roads and intersections can become dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists due to many factors.
Poor Road Design and Infrastructure
Poorly designed roads with confusing intersections, sharp curves, or blind intersections will tend to have more crashes. Similarly, locations with poor traffic controls and infrastructure often develop crash hotspots.
Generally, roads with high speed limits can see more speeding accidents, while those with inadequate crosswalks may have an increased risk of pedestrian accidents. Intersections with stop signs can also be riskier than those with traffic lights.
Traffic Volume
One of the most significant factors in determining the risk associated with a road or intersection is its traffic volume. Busy roads can have more crashes simply because road users interact with each other more frequently. Busy intersections, in particular, often cause impatient drivers to take additional risks, such as speeding and disobeying red lights.
As a result, a driving error on a high-volume road is more likely to cause a crash than the same error on a sparsely used country road.
Houston’s High Injury Network
A high injury network is a map created through a statistical study of a city’s traffic crashes.
A road must meet all of the following criteria over a five-year timeframe for inclusion as a priority segment on the map:
- Two or more crash fatalities
- Five or more crashes causing death or serious injury
- At least one pedestrian accident resulting in death or serious injury
Houston residents can interact with the map to find areas of concern nearby.
Dangerous Roads in Houston
According to the city’s high injury network map, the following roads are the most dangerous:
- Westheimer Rd.
- Bellaire Blvd.
- Harwin Dr.
- TX-6
- Pierce St.
- Emancipation Ave.
- St. Joseph Pkwy.
- Martin Luther King Blvd.
- Navigation Blvd.
- Cullen Blvd.
- Dallas St.
- Liberty Rd.
- Ley Rd.
- Jensen Dr.
- Tidwell Rd.
- Airline Dr.
- Shepherd Dr.
- Antoine Dr.
- Long Point Rd.
- Clay Rd.
- Homestead Rd.
- Gessner Rd.
These roads are not necessarily dangerous along their entire length. Some are only hazardous in certain locations. For instance, Westheimer Rd. is the riskiest between I-610 and TX-6.
Also, the map doesn’t include interstate highways. The city only analyzed roads under its jurisdiction to determine where improvements could reduce road injuries and deaths. Because interstate highways fall under state and federal jurisdiction, the city would not be able to address any dangerous highway segments it identified.
As a result, certain types of collisions that occur more frequently on interstates, such as 18-wheeler accidents, are likely underrepresented on the city’s high-injury network map.
Houston’s Dangerous Intersections
The high injury network map also identifies several risky intersections, including:
- Hillcroft Ave. and Richmond Ave.
- Westheimer Rd. and Lazy Hollow Dr.
- Westheimer Rd. and Hillcroft Ave.
- Westheimer Rd. and TX-6
- Fondren Rd. and Bellaire Blvd.
- Pierce St. and Emancipation Ave.
- Reed Rd. and Martin Luther King Blvd.
Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists should take extra precautions when driving, walking, or riding near these areas.
Contact Our Houston Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Regardless of where they occur, car accidents often result from driver negligence. The experienced team at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered millions for our clients, and we are licensed to practice in both federal and state courts throughout Texas.
Contact our Houston car accident lawyers for a free consultation to learn how we can seek the compensation you deserve today.