Drivers in Houston may travel on Highway 45 frequently without realizing that Highway 45 is one of the deadliest highways in the United States. Sadly, this means many people lost loved ones in car crashes on this stretch of roadway.
If you lost a loved one in a car wreck caused by another driver on Highway 45, you may want to learn more about wrongful death lawsuits.
The study on fatal crashes in the United States
One study examined traffic data from 200–2019. The aim of the study was to identify the roads, highways and interstates in the United States that saw the most traffic fatalities.
Highway 45 in Houston, specifically from exit 49B to exit 60A, saw 148 traffic fatalities during the time period studied. That amounted to approximately seven fatalities annually on that one span of Highway 45. This made it one of the most dangerous and deadly highways in the United States.
Traffic fatalities and wrongful death lawsuits
Losing a loved one in a traffic accident is always unexpected and tragic. This is especially true if the driver who caused the crash was negligent.
A driver is tasked with the duty to drive safely and not to collide with other vehicles. If a driver crashes into someone else, and that person is injured or killed due to the crash, the at-fault driver could be held liable.
You may be able to hold a negligent driver in Texas liable for the traffic fatality they caused by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. You may have grounds for such a claim if:
- Your loved one died due to injuries
- The injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence
- Your loved one could have filed a personal injury lawsuit based on these injuries if they had survived them
You could be awarded damages if you are successful in your wrongful death lawsuit. While no amount of money can truly compensate for a loved one lost in a fatal traffic crash, it can at least give you the financial resources you need as you move forward from the loss.