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Traveling through South Texas used to mean long drives down one or more of the lonely roads that criss-cross the region like State Hwy 83 and State Hwy 281. Motorists could often go for hours without seeing another vehicle. But over the past decade, urban development and the discovery of oil reserves in the Eagle Ford Shale, which stretches eastward for more than 400 miles from the Mexican border near Webb County and Maverick County, have created an array of new dangers for motorists.
The recent boom of rural development across South Texas, spanning from Laredo to Corpus Christi up to San Antonio and down to the Rio Grande Valley, is putting more and more commercial and industrial vehicles on public highways — and in the way of Texas drivers.
Eighteen-wheelers, tractor-trailers, dump trucks, cement trucks, oilfield trucks, fracking fluid carriers, tankers, cranes, hazardous chemical transportation trucks — heavy-duty vehicles like these are a recipe for disaster when they come into contact with the common car or pickup truck.
Scary Statistics
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, highway crashes were to blame for almost 33% of the deaths of oilfield workers from 2003 to 2008 — and many, many of those involved typical passenger vehicles.
And with about 1,000 trucks and other large-scale transportation vehicles required to service a single well, oilfield production has made a casualty of many public roads across Texas. The Texas Transportation Department estimates it will take more than $2 billion dollars to repair the damage these trucks have caused.
If edge drop-offs, pot-holes, dangerous merging lanes, and other unexpected hazards on the road weren’t enough, Texas drivers are also endangered by the drivers of commercial and industrial vehicles themselves.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that many drivers feel pressured into taking 20-hour shifts on the road, a position that leaves them utterly fatigued and at risk of colliding with other drivers.
Hitting the Brakes
The Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia have spent decades standing up to injustice in the courtroom. Have you been involved in a crash or accident with an 18-wheeler or oil truck? Don’t be intimidated by large oil and transport companies — The Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia has the experience and the reputation you need to defend your rights before a judge or jury. We will work with you one-on-one to build a case that can win against their high-paid attorneys. Call us today for more information on how we can reverse the damage they’ve done to you.