There were 15,299 serious injury crashes in Texas during 2022, with 18,880 victims. The Texas costly car accident fatality rate was 1.55 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.
Driving in Midland, TX can be tricky with the city’s numerous oil wells, busy roads, and often hazardous weather conditions. The number of reported accidents in Midland was 2,691 in 2021, with 814 crashes resulting in injuries and 23 fatalities.
Car accidents here can easily turn into major hassles that drain your time, energy and wallet, or worse, kill you. Use the following practical tips to stay safe on Midland roads and avoid expensive collisions or traffic violations.
Check Blind Spots Before Changing Lanes
With roads crowded by large pickup trucks and oil transporters, properly checking your blind spots before changing lanes in Midland is crucial. Blind spot accidents cause 300 deaths a year in the US.
Take an extra moment when merging or switching lanes on roads like Loop 250 and Highway 191 to turn your head and verify no unseen vehicles are in your path. Rushing this visual check risks expensive sideswipe accidents.
Allow Proper Following Distance Behind Other Vehicles
Leave ample space between your vehicle and the one ahead on Midland roads where sudden stops or debris in the roadway could appear unexpectedly. In poor weather conditions especially, expand your following distance to allow for longer stopping times on slick streets. According to Ryan Zehl, a Midland car accident lawyer, getting rear-ended in Midland, TX, or slamming into the back of another car will set you back financially by elevating insurance costs. It’s also the most common type of costly car accident. Call an auto accident lawyer if this happens to you.
Pay Attention to Road Signs and Signals
Many intersections around Midland are extra large to accommodate equipment transporters or have oddly coordinated signals. Know what lane you need to be in before coming upon skewed intersections and obey warning signs for oversized vehicles. An expensive red light ticket or crash due to last-minute, illegal maneuvering to get into the proper lane is avoidable by paying attention to road signs and signals. One in three drivers admit to running a red light. Don’t be one of them.
Drive Cautiously Around Commercial Traffic
In and around Midland there is consistent commercial traffic, from 18-wheelers to heavy equipment movers for the oil industry. Keep back from large vehicles with limited visibility ranges, pass them carefully in legal areas, and avoid driving aggressively around them. The expenses triggered by a collision with commercial machinery on highways like I-20 are steep.
Maintain Proper Tire Pressure
With Midland’s frequent gravel roads and current or prior landscape torn up by oil drills, properly inflated tires are a defensive driving necessity. Check your tire pressure routinely and get uneven wear or leaks repaired immediately to avoid blowouts, loss of control or rollovers off the beaten path. A single-vehicle accident on a rural Midland road can lead to five-digit charges you want to avoid.
By being alert, maintaining safe distances from other vehicles, and driving cautiously near commercial traffic, you can steer clear of major mishaps on Midland roads. Stay focused within city limits as well, obey signs and signals, and perform vehicle safety checks routinely. With defensive driving habits in place, you stand to avoid the major outlays connected to an accident in Midlan
