The number of people killed on the roads in and around Austin is on track to be higher this year than it was in 2020.
Recent traffic accidents pushed the city’s number of fatalities to 91. Even with over two months to go, this is already a higher number than the yearly totals for 2016 through 2019.
In 2020, when there were fewer people on the road, the number of deaths in the Austin area was still 94. If this year’s trend continues, the number of deaths will be around 100 for 2021, which is close to Austin’s 2015 high-water mark of 102 deaths.
City officials are taking steps that might turn around this disturbing trend. The Austin Police Department recently said that it would be conducting an organized enforcement campaign against drunk driving during October. Drunken driving is a major contributing factor to the number of traffic fatalities in the Austin area.
Sometimes, the families of victims will need persistent representation
After a fatal accident, or one that leads to catastrophic injuries, a victim’s family may have to explore a number of legal options in order to get full compensation for their losses.
There are too many irresponsible drivers on the Texas roads who not only drive carelessly but also do so without carrying automobile liability insurance even though it is illegal to drive without insurance.
But in many serious accidents, victims and their families will discover that although a negligent driver had insurance, it is not nearly enough to cover all medical bills, lost wages and the like.
In these cases, a family may have to look to the victim’s own insurance company to pay uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits.
