3 Children Confirmed Dead, 1 Hospitalized Following High-Speed Crash

Authorities have confirmed that two 13-year-olds and one 12-year-old were killed in a pickup truck accident in Gray County on Monday, October 18. The truck was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed when it failed to navigate a turn and left the roadway.

The Tragic Accident

Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) report that a major single-vehicle accident near White Deer resulted in the death of three children, and the injury of a fourth.

According to officials, the truck was traveling on County Road 1, approaching an “S” curve and County Road L intersection, when the accident occurred. The vehicle was traveling at high speeds, and the driver was unable to maneuver through the “S” curve.

After leaving the roadway, the truck rolled several times. The force of the accident threw the now-deceased children from the truck. A third 13-year-old was seriously injured and transported to a hospital.

Currently, it is unknown who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. The incident remains under investigation.

The three schools in the White Deer area are offering support to students from counselors and local clergy.

Speeding and Texas Car Crashes

Texas has a somewhat complicated relationship with speeding. Before looking at the numbers, it’s worth keeping a few things in mind: Texas has the highest average speed limit of any state in the country. Next, possibly in part because of that high-speed limit, Texans also receive fewer speeding tickets compared to the rest of the country.

Finally, due to their respective sizes, Texas and California almost always see more accidents of every type than other U.S. states. Because of this, it’s important to look at averages and per-capita or per-mile rates in order to get an accurate picture of Texas’ speeding problem.

Texas fell roughly in line with the percentage of all accidents nationally which involved speeding in 2019. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the state’s higher speeds aren’t having an impact on the overall number of accidents compared to states with lower speeds. Fortunately, the numbers suggest that Texas’ high speeds aren’t boosting accident rates.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Texas falls 18th in the country for fatal accidents per 100 million miles traveled. South Carolina, the state with the highest rate of accidents, saw 1.73 deaths per 100 million miles. In comparison, Texas saw 1.25. Still, 15th place means the state’s fatal accident rate is worse than the number seen by most of the country, 1.11 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.

Remember: speeding is never worth the risk of an accident. Make sure to plan ahead for important appointments and prioritize driving at or below the speed limit.

If you were injured in a crash with a speeding driver, reach out to the compassionate car accident attorneys at the Law Office of Bobby Garcia for help. Remember: Bobby está contigo!

Source: KCBD