Accidents Due to Poor Road Maintenance

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintains more than 79,000 miles of farm-to-market, ranch-to-market, state, U.S., and interstate highways - more than any other state in the country - as well as over 300,000 miles of municipal and rural roadways. Motorists in Texas drive about 600 million miles along these roadways each day. Clearly these roads must be properly maintained to handle that amount of traffic. But the reality is that poor road maintenance leads to many catastrophic and fatal accidents every year.

Better Roads, a national publication for government and contractor information concerning road construction, said that maintenance is the "first problem that comes to most drivers' minds when they think of traffic safety hazards." According to the article "5 Traffic Safety Hazards in Your Town," one Boston suburb had several residents filing claims of up to $2,000 after driving into a 4-foot by 6-foot pothole that went unrepaired and unguarded. The possibility of a more serious accident is fairly obvious.

Also listed in the article are roadway construction and maintenance sites. Improper markings around construction areas and not enough warning to give motorists the time to slow down and/or change lanes can lead to major accidents. In 2003, 144 fatal traffic accidents in Texas took place within construction and maintenance zones.

Texas has very strict regulations about how to set up roadway maintenance and construction sites, including proper clean up of the work site so that no debris is left in the path of on-coming motorists. However in May 2005, TxDOT reported 270 "Roadway Conditions" including construction zones and road closures throughout the state. Every one of these "conditions" has the potential to cause accidents that lead to severe or even fatal injuries.

Your Rights as a Motorist

Every driver in Texas has the right to expect that the road in front of them is clear of major road hazards, and that construction areas are clearly marked. The State of Texas has put into place many regulations to uphold their responsibility in this area. But when a major accident occurs because of negligence either by the state to provide safe roads or its paid contractors to properly mark construction, make repairs, and clean up their work site, these parties can be liable for all injuries and damages.

If you are injured in an accident that is wholly or partially due to improper road maintenance or poorly marked construction sites, contact the Personal Injury lawyers at Jim S. Adler & Associates today. We have over 30 years of experience helping motorists injured on Texas roadways get the settlement they need to pay for medical bills and lost work, and the compensation they deserve for pain and suffering. Don't wonder if the accident you are involved in could have been due to someone else's negligence. Submit your case to us today for a no-fee review.

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