Interstate-10 is one of the country’s most traveled transcontinental highways, running between Jacksonville, Florida, and Santa Monica, California, with a significant portion crossing Texas. I-10 has earned its reputation as one of the deadliest highways in Texas, particularly in areas surrounding Houston, where I-10 expands to six lanes, and in portions of the highway with speed limits of 80 miles per hour.
While it isn’t possible to control other drivers’ careless or reckless actions, there are ways to minimize your own risk of a car accident on the I-10 in Texas. Speak to an experienced car accident attorney in La Porte for help on your accident case.
Avoid Distractions
Many drivers rely on their cell phones for navigation and in-car entertainment, such as podcasts and playlists. It’s also tempting to maximize your time usage by making phone calls while behind the wheel. Unfortunately, despite the availability of hands-free technology, distracted driving is a growing cause of car accidents on I-10 in Texas. Drivers should only use hands-free technology and avoid other distractions, such as eating and driving or applying makeup.
Making Safe Lane Changes and Properly Merging
Moving into a lane of high-speed traffic feels intimidating to inexperienced drivers. It may also be frustrating to experienced drivers and trigger overconfidence in aggressive drivers. Unsafe lane changes and improper merging onto the highway are two of the top causes of I-10 accidents in Texas. It’s essential to check all mirrors and quickly evaluate blind spots by looking over your shoulder before changing lanes or merging onto a multi-lane highway like I-10.
Avoiding Tailgating
In dense traffic situations or when sharing the roadway with aggressive drivers, it’s tempting to stay close behind the vehicle directly in front of you so other drivers cannot cut you off; however, rear-end collisions are among the most common accidents on I-10. When a driver fails to leave an adequate following distance between the front of their car and the rear of the car directly in front, they lack sufficient stopping distance if traffic abruptly slows or the driver in front makes a sudden stop. A driver on I-10 should leave one car length of space between the car in front for every ten miles per hour of speed.
Stay Out of Truck Blindspots
Large commercial trucks crowd the highways in Texas, particularly freight carriers on I-10. Semi-tractor-trailer trucks have extended blind spots, including about 20 feet directly in front, 30 feet behind, across the lane to the driver’s left to about halfway down the length of the trailer, and across two lanes on the right side extending about 15 feet behind the trailer. You can minimize the risk of being caught in a truck’s unsafe lane change by avoiding driving in the driver’s blind spots.
Follow the Speed Limit on I-10 In Texas
Finally, speeding is the most common cause of serious injuries in an accident. The crash force of an accident transforms a 130-pound motorist into a 4,550-pound force in a collision at only 35 miles per hour. At 80 pounds, the same motorist becomes a 10,400-pound force propelled forward in a crash.
Not only does speeding escalate the severity of injuries due to increased crash force, but it also reduces the driver’s ability to control their vehicle, increases stopping distance, and reduces the tires’ traction on the road, causing the chances of an accident to skyrocket.
Road-planning agencies in Texas set speed limits appropriate to the terrain and common traffic conditions. By adhering to the speed limit, you not only reduce the risk of an expensive traffic citation, but you also minimize the risk of injuring yourself or others in an I-10 car accident. Contact us today.