Dangerous Texas Roads for Truck Accidents: 2026 Data and Claim Guide

The most dangerous Texas roads for truck accidents include heavily traveled interstate freight corridors, congested metropolitan highways, and rural energy-sector routes where commercial vehicles regularly operate alongside passenger traffic.

Texas contains one of the country’s largest highway systems and carries substantial freight moving between Mexico, major Texas cities, Gulf Coast ports, energy-producing regions, and the rest of the United States. That economic activity also creates extensive exposure to tractor-trailers, tankers, construction vehicles, delivery trucks, and other commercial vehicles.

A roadway’s inclusion in this guide does not mean that every segment is equally dangerous. Crash risk can change by county, interchange, construction zone, traffic volume, weather, time of day, and the type of freight being transported.

This updated guide examines the Texas corridors where commercial-vehicle exposure is especially significant, explains why truck crashes occur, and identifies the evidence that may matter when an injured person files a claim.

How Serious Are Commercial-Vehicle Crashes in Texas?

The latest complete Texas Department of Transportation county report available for this analysis documented 39,393 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles during 2024. Those collisions included:

• 546 fatal commercial-motor-vehicle crashes
• 608 fatalities
• 1,261 crashes involving suspected serious injuries
• 1,601 people suffering suspected serious injuries
• More than 4,300 crashes involving suspected minor injuries

These figures cover commercial motor vehicles under Texas reporting definitions. They should not be treated as identical to federal “large truck” statistics because state and federal agencies may use different vehicle classifications, reporting periods, and methods.

Texas recorded 3,769 total motor-vehicle traffic deaths during 2025, according to TxDOT. The broader roadway figures and other transportation risks are examined in The Morgan Law Group’s Texas Danger Index.

Are These Officially the Most Dangerous Trucking Roads in Texas?

TxDOT does not publish one official annual ranking that identifies the “most dangerous” Texas highway for truck accidents using a single statewide measurement. A reliable comparison would need to account for more than raw crash totals.

Important measurements may include:

• The number of commercial-vehicle crashes
• Fatalities and serious injuries
• Commercial-truck traffic volume
• Total vehicle miles traveled
• Crashes per mile of roadway
• Urban and rural roadway conditions
• Work-zone exposure
• Freight volume and cargo type
• Weather and road-surface conditions
• Emergency-response distance

A highway serving Houston or Dallas may record more crashes because it carries far more vehicles. A rural oilfield road may have fewer total collisions but present greater risk per mile, longer emergency-response times, limited lighting, narrow shoulders, or a high concentration of heavy trucks.

The corridors below are therefore identified as significant Texas truck-accident risk corridors, not presented as an unsupported one-through-five crash ranking.

Which Texas Highways Carry Significant Truck-Accident Risk?

Interstate 35: Laredo, San Antonio, Austin, Waco, and Dallas-Fort Worth

Interstate 35 is one of Texas’s most important north-south freight routes. It connects the international border at Laredo with San Antonio, Austin, Waco, and the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Truck-accident risks along I-35 may involve:

• Heavy international and interstate freight traffic
• Congestion near major metropolitan areas
• Frequent merging at urban interchanges
• Construction zones and shifting traffic patterns
• Sudden reductions in traffic speed
• Limited stopping distance during congestion
• Passenger vehicles entering truck blind spots
• Fatigued drivers completing long freight routes

Conditions can differ substantially between the interstate’s urban sections and the more rural stretches between major cities. A collision near downtown Austin may involve congestion and lane changes, while a rural collision may involve higher speeds, darkness, or delayed emergency response.

Interstate 10: El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, and Beaumont

Interstate 10 crosses Texas from El Paso through San Antonio and Houston before continuing toward Beaumont and Louisiana. It carries long-distance freight, regional commercial traffic, port-related cargo, and vehicles serving the energy and manufacturing industries.

Potential risk factors include:

• Long distances between major destinations
• Driver fatigue and hours-of-service concerns
• High-speed rural travel
• Congestion through San Antonio and Houston
• Complex interchanges and entrance ramps
• Construction and lane closures
• Heavy rain and reduced visibility in Southeast Texas
• Crosswinds and dust in West Texas
• Commercial traffic entering and leaving industrial facilities

When traffic stops unexpectedly, a fully loaded tractor-trailer may require considerably more distance to slow than a passenger vehicle. The available stopping distance depends on speed, vehicle weight, brakes, tires, roadway grade, weather, and driver reaction.

Interstate 45: Houston to Dallas

Interstate 45 connects two of the state’s largest metropolitan regions and is a major component of the Texas freight network. Commercial vehicles use the corridor to move cargo between Gulf Coast facilities, Houston-area distribution centers, inland communities, and North Texas.

Truck collisions on I-45 may involve:

• Stop-and-go traffic near Houston and Dallas
• High-speed travel between metropolitan areas
• Sudden braking near congested exits
• Lane-change and merging conflicts
• Rain, standing water, or reduced visibility
• Overturned trucks and displaced cargo
• Rear-end and multi-vehicle collisions

TxDOT identifies I-35, I-45, and I-10 as the principal corridors forming the Texas Triangle, connecting Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Laredo. The concentration of passenger and freight traffic makes this network central to any discussion of Texas truck-accident exposure.

Interstate 69 and U.S. 59: Houston and South Texas Freight Traffic

Interstate 69 and U.S. 59 serve freight moving through Houston, South Texas, border regions, ports, warehouses, and industrial areas. The corridor includes urban freeway sections, major interchanges, and rural stretches with different traffic conditions.

Risk may increase where:

• Commercial trucks enter congested Houston traffic
• Several highways converge at large interchanges
• Vehicles merge across multiple lanes
• Freight traffic enters or leaves ports and industrial facilities
• Traffic speeds change abruptly
• Road construction modifies familiar travel patterns
• Heavy rain reduces visibility or creates standing water

A truck crash near a port, warehouse, or distribution center may also involve dispatch records, shipping documents, cargo contractors, facility surveillance, and multiple commercial insurance policies.

Interstate 20: West Texas, Dallas-Fort Worth, and East Texas

Interstate 20 carries freight across West Texas, the Permian Basin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and East Texas. Commercial traffic may include general freight, construction equipment, oilfield vehicles, tankers, and trucks serving industrial operations.

Potential hazards include:

• Long-distance commercial driving
• Oilfield and industrial traffic
• High-speed rural roadway sections
• Congestion near Midland, Odessa, and Dallas-Fort Worth
• Nighttime visibility limitations
• Road debris and tire failures
• Crosswinds, dust, rain, or ice
• Limited safe truck-parking availability

Truck parking is also a roadway-safety concern. When safe spaces are unavailable, drivers may park on ramps, shoulders, or other locations that create visibility and collision hazards.

U.S. 285 and Permian Basin Oilfield Roads

U.S. 285 runs through an active West Texas energy region and carries substantial commercial and oilfield traffic. Other Permian Basin routes—including portions of State Highways 302 and 349 and local farm-to-market roads—may also carry tankers, equipment haulers, oversized vehicles, and work crews.

Oilfield roadway risks may include:

• Heavy trucks entering high-speed traffic
• Oversized or slow-moving equipment
• Loose material or unsecured cargo
• Driver fatigue associated with long shifts
• Narrow lanes and shoulders
• Dust and reduced nighttime visibility
• Unfamiliar drivers traveling to remote work sites
• Long distances from emergency and trauma care

The original version of this article referred to “State Highway 285.” The major Permian Basin freight corridor discussed here is U.S. Highway 285.

For a broader national comparison, review The Morgan Law Group’s 2026 Highway Danger Index.

Why Can a Texas Truck Collision Cause Such Serious Injuries?

A commercial truck’s weight, height, length, cargo, and stopping requirements can increase the severity of a collision. Passenger vehicles may be vulnerable to underride, crushing, rollover, intrusion, and secondary impacts involving other vehicles or roadside objects.

Serious truck-accident injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal-cord and back injuries
• Multiple fractures
• Internal-organ damage
• Burns and lacerations
• Amputations
• Permanent mobility limitations
• Psychological trauma
• Fatal injuries

A truck crash may also close several lanes, involve hazardous cargo, or cause a chain-reaction collision. Investigators may need to determine the order of impacts and identify every vehicle and commercial entity involved.

What Commonly Causes Truck Accidents on Texas Roads?

Truck crashes rarely have one universal cause. A complete investigation should consider the driver, vehicle, trucking company, cargo, roadway, weather, and actions of other motorists.

Potential contributing factors include:

• Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
• Driver fatigue
• Distracted driving
• Following too closely
• Unsafe lane changes
• Failure to check blind spots
• Impairment by alcohol, drugs, or medication
• Inadequate driver training or supervision
• Brake, tire, steering, or lighting failures
• Overloaded or improperly secured cargo
• Pressure to meet an unrealistic delivery schedule
• Violations of hours-of-service requirements
• Incomplete inspections or maintenance
• Unsafe work-zone conditions
• Rain, fog, ice, flooding, dust, or high winds

Determining which factors contributed may require more than the police crash report. Driver logs, electronic data, maintenance files, dispatch communications, cargo records, and company policies may reveal conditions that were not visible at the scene.

What Should You Do After a Truck Accident in Texas?

1. Call 911. Request law enforcement and emergency medical assistance. Commercial-truck crashes can involve several vehicles, fuel leaks, hazardous materials, blocked lanes, or injuries that are not immediately visible.
2. Move away from immediate danger. If you can do so safely, avoid standing between vehicles or remaining in an active traffic lane.
3. Seek medical care. Report all symptoms accurately, including head pain, neck or back pain, dizziness, numbness, weakness, confusion, or difficulty breathing.
4. Photograph the scene. Capture vehicle positions, company markings, unit numbers, license plates, cargo, skid marks, debris, road conditions, traffic controls, construction, and visible injuries.
5. Identify the truck and carrier. Record the driver’s information, trucking-company name, U.S. DOT number, vehicle number, trailer number, insurer, and policy information.
6. Collect witness information. Obtain names, telephone numbers, email addresses, and any photographs or videos witnesses recorded.
7. Preserve digital evidence. Save dashcam recordings, mobile-phone photographs, videos, navigation information, and communications concerning the collision.
8. Obtain the crash-report number. Review the completed report for incorrect vehicle, insurance, witness, roadway, or injury information.
9. Do not authorize premature destruction. A severely damaged vehicle may contain physical and electronic evidence that should be inspected before repair, salvage, or disposal.
10. Keep every record. Preserve medical documents, bills, repair estimates, towing invoices, wage-loss information, insurance correspondence, and out-of-pocket expense receipts.

Our step-by-step truck accident guide provides additional instructions for protecting yourself and documenting the collision.

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Who May Be Responsible for a Texas Truck Accident?

A commercial-truck claim should not be evaluated as though it were an ordinary collision involving only two drivers. The truck driver may have caused the immediate impact, but another person or company may have contributed to the unsafe conditions.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

• The commercial driver: for speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, impairment, following too closely, an unsafe lane change, or another driving error
• The motor carrier: for negligent hiring, training, supervision, scheduling, maintenance, or enforcement of safety policies
• The truck or trailer owner: when ownership, leasing, maintenance, or control differs from the carrier operating the vehicle
• A maintenance provider: when an inadequate inspection or repair contributes to brake, tire, steering, lighting, or other mechanical failure
• A cargo-loading company: when improperly loaded, overloaded, or unsecured cargo shifts, spills, or affects vehicle control
• A manufacturer or parts supplier: when a defective truck, trailer, tire, brake component, coupling system, or safety device contributes to the collision
• Another motorist: when a passenger vehicle, construction vehicle, or unidentified driver helps cause a chain-reaction crash
• A roadway contractor or other entity: when unsafe construction, traffic control, debris, or another roadway condition contributed to the accident

Company names displayed on the tractor or trailer do not necessarily identify every responsible business. The driver may work for one carrier, operate a leased tractor, pull a trailer owned by another company, and transport cargo loaded by a separate contractor.

Registration records, operating-authority information, contracts, leases, bills of lading, dispatch records, insurance documents, and corporate records may be needed to determine who controlled the driver, vehicle, cargo, and trip.

When Can a Trucking Company Be Responsible?

A motor carrier may be responsible for the actions of a driver operating within the scope of assigned work. The carrier’s own conduct may also need to be examined.

Potential trucking-company issues include:

• Hiring an unqualified or unsafe driver
• Failing to verify required licenses or qualifications
• Ignoring prior crashes or driving violations
• Providing inadequate training
• Failing to monitor hours-of-service compliance
• Creating schedules that encourage speeding or inadequate rest
• Allowing a driver to continue operating after safety complaints
• Failing to inspect or maintain the truck
• Ignoring repeated brake, tire, or equipment problems
• Failing to enforce drug, alcohol, mobile-device, or fatigue policies
• Overloading the vehicle or accepting unsafe cargo
• Failing to preserve records after a serious collision

The legal relationship between the driver and company should be examined based on the actual facts. Describing a driver as an independent contractor does not, by itself, answer every question about control, responsibility, or applicable insurance.

What Evidence Should Be Preserved After a Truck Accident?

Commercial vehicles and trucking companies can generate substantially more evidence than passenger vehicles. Some of that information may be overwritten, deleted, repaired, lost, or destroyed through ordinary business practices.

A prompt preservation request may identify evidence such as:

• The tractor and trailer in their post-collision condition
• Engine-control-module or electronic-control-module data
• Event data recorder information
• Electronic logging device records
• Hours-of-service records and supporting documents
• GPS and fleet-telematics information
• Forward-facing and driver-facing camera footage
• Dashcam and collision-warning recordings
• Dispatch instructions and communications
• Driver telephone and mobile-device records
• Bills of lading and shipping documents
• Weight tickets and cargo records
• Pre-trip and post-trip inspection reports
• Maintenance, repair, and tire records
• Driver qualification and training records
• Employment, scheduling, and payroll records
• Drug and alcohol testing records when applicable
• Prior crash and safety records
• Insurance policies and coverage correspondence
• Photographs, measurements, diagrams, and company investigation reports

Federal requirements generally require a motor carrier to retain electronic logging device records of duty status and supporting documents for six months. That regulatory period is one reason evidence-preservation work should begin promptly rather than months after the collision.

What Can Electronic Truck Data Reveal?

A commercial vehicle may contain information from several electronic systems. The precise data available depends on the tractor, engine, installed equipment, collision severity, system settings, and whether the information has been preserved.

Electronic records may help investigators evaluate:

• Vehicle speed before the collision
• Brake application
• Accelerator position
• Engine speed
• Cruise-control status
• Sudden deceleration
• Seat-belt use
• Vehicle location and route
• Driving and rest periods
• Engine hours and vehicle mileage
• Hard-braking or stability-control events
• Forward-collision warnings
• Lane-departure warnings
• Driver or fleet-system messages

Electronic information should be interpreted by someone familiar with the specific system. A data point may be incomplete or misleading when separated from physical evidence, video, witness testimony, road conditions, vehicle inspections, and the sequence of impacts.

Additional information is available in our guide explaining how black-box data may affect a truck accident claim.

Why Are Driver Logs and Dispatch Records Important?

Electronic logging device records can help show when a driver was on duty, driving, resting, or operating under another recorded status. The records may be compared with other documents to determine whether the timeline is complete and accurate.

Potential supporting evidence includes:

• Fuel receipts
• Toll transactions
• Weigh-station records
• Dispatch messages
• Delivery appointments
• Bills of lading
• Hotel receipts
• Inspection records
• Payroll and trip records
• GPS and telematics data
• Mobile-phone activity
• Warehouse or facility entry records

These records may reveal whether the driver had adequate off-duty time, experienced schedule pressure, made unrecorded stops, exceeded permissible driving time, or continued operating after reporting fatigue or a mechanical problem.

An hours-of-service violation does not automatically establish the entire claim. Investigators must still determine whether fatigue or another violation contributed to the collision.

How Can Maintenance Records Affect a Truck Accident Claim?

Commercial trucks travel long distances while carrying substantial weight. Brakes, tires, steering systems, lights, coupling devices, and other safety components require appropriate inspection and maintenance.

Maintenance evidence may include:

• Annual and periodic inspection reports
• Preventive-maintenance schedules
• Driver vehicle-inspection reports
• Repair orders and invoices
• Brake measurements and adjustment records
• Tire installation, rotation, and replacement records
• Roadside inspection reports
• Out-of-service notices
• Prior driver complaints
• Work performed by outside repair facilities
• Records identifying replaced or discarded components

A post-collision inspection should distinguish damage caused by the impact from a mechanical condition that existed before it. Relevant parts should not be repaired, altered, or discarded before the interested parties have a reasonable opportunity to inspect them.

Why Do Cargo and Weight Records Matter?

The weight and placement of cargo can affect braking, steering, stability, rollover risk, and the distance required to stop. Cargo may also become a separate hazard if it shifts, falls from the trailer, penetrates the trailer, or spills across the roadway.

Investigators may examine:

• The bill of lading
• The type and declared weight of the cargo
• Scale and weight tickets
• Loading diagrams
• Cargo securement equipment
• Photographs taken during loading
• Warehouse surveillance recordings
• Seals and trailer records
• Communications among the shipper, loader, carrier, and driver
• Whether the driver inspected the load
• Whether cargo shifted before or during the collision

A tanker or vehicle carrying hazardous material may involve additional emergency-response, containment, shipping, inspection, and regulatory records.

How Is Fault Divided Under Texas Law?

Texas uses a proportionate-responsibility system. The factfinder may assign percentages of responsibility among the claimant, defendants, settling parties, and other responsible persons when permitted by law.

A claimant generally cannot recover damages when the claimant’s percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent. When the claimant is 50 percent or less responsible, recoverable damages are generally reduced by that percentage.

For example, if a claimant has $200,000 in established damages and is found 20 percent responsible, the award may be reduced by 20 percent to $160,000. This example is for illustrating the calculation only; actual damages and responsibility are determined from the evidence and applicable law.

Comparative-fault disputes in a truck collision may concern:

• Following distance
• Speed
• Lane position
• Turn signals
• Visibility and lighting
• Whether a passenger vehicle entered a truck’s blind spot
• Whether traffic stopped unexpectedly
• Compliance with traffic signals and signs
• Work-zone instructions
• Vehicle condition
• Seat-belt use when legally relevant
• The conduct of additional drivers

Photographs, video, electronic data, physical measurements, witness statements, and accident reconstruction may be necessary when the parties give conflicting accounts.

What Insurance May Apply to a Texas Truck Accident?

A commercial-truck collision may involve several policies, insurers, self-insured entities, or layers of coverage. The policy attached to the tractor may not be the only potentially applicable insurance.

Coverage should be investigated for:

• The truck driver
• The motor carrier
• The tractor owner
• The trailer owner
• A company leasing the vehicle or driver
• The cargo-loading or shipping contractor
• A maintenance provider
• Another vehicle involved in the collision
• The injured person’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage
• Umbrella or excess-liability policies

The existence of a policy does not necessarily establish that it covers every person, company, vehicle, or loss. Obtain the complete policy, declarations, endorsements, reservation-of-rights letters, coverage denials, and communications identifying each insurer’s position.

What Compensation May Be Available After a Truck Accident?

The available damages depend on the injuries, medical evidence, financial losses, responsibility findings, insurance, and other circumstances of the claim.

Evidence may support qualifying losses such as:

• Emergency transportation and treatment
• Hospital and physician expenses
• Diagnostic imaging
• Surgery and rehabilitation
• Prescription medication and medical equipment
• Future medical care supported by professional opinions
• Lost wages
• Reduced future earning ability
• Vehicle repair or total-loss value
• Towing, storage, and rental expenses
• Damaged personal property
• Physical pain
• Mental anguish
• Physical impairment
• Disfigurement
• Losses arising from a fatal collision

Every requested loss should be supported by appropriate documentation. Medical records connect the injuries to treatment, wage records establish missed income, repair documents support property damage, and qualified professional opinions may be required for future losses.

What if the Trucking Company’s Insurer Contacts You?

A trucking company or insurer may contact an injured person shortly after the collision. The representative may request a recorded statement, medical authorization, access to records, inspection of the damaged vehicle, or an early settlement.

Before responding, consider:

• Which company or insurer is making the request
• Whose interests the representative protects
• Whether the complete crash report and available video have been reviewed
• Whether all injuries have been diagnosed
• Whether future treatment is still uncertain
• Whether the request seeks unrelated medical information
• Whether the settlement would release additional parties
• Whether all applicable insurance has been identified
• Whether commercial evidence has been preserved

Do not guess about vehicle speed, distance, timing, medical diagnoses, or facts you do not remember. An early settlement may require a broad release even when the person’s medical condition, future expenses, or lost income has not been fully determined.

How Long Do You Have to File a Texas Truck Accident Claim?

Texas law generally requires a lawsuit for personal injury or property damage to be filed within two years after the claim accrues. A two-year period also generally applies to a lawsuit arising from a death, although the applicable accrual rules and claims require individual review.

The correct deadline may be affected when:

• A city, county, state agency, or other government entity is involved
• The injured person is a minor
• The collision resulted in death
• The responsible party leaves the state
• A defective product contributed to the collision
• A workers’ compensation claim is involved
• An insurance policy imposes a separate contractual requirement
• Another state’s law may apply
• The identity of a driver or commercial entity is disputed

Claims involving a government entity may also require notice well before the general lawsuit deadline. The specific entity and applicable statute, charter, ordinance, policy, and claim procedure should be investigated promptly.

The filing deadline should not be confused with the practical deadline for preserving evidence. Trucking data, surveillance recordings, electronic logs, physical components, and damaged vehicles may disappear long before two years have passed.

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What Mistakes Can Weaken a Texas Truck Accident Claim?

Common documentation and claim-handling mistakes include:

• Failing to photograph the truck, trailer, company markings, and U.S. DOT number
• Allowing the damaged vehicle to be destroyed before it is inspected
• Waiting too long to request electronic and video evidence
• Assuming the truck driver is the only potentially responsible party
• Failing to identify the tractor owner, trailer owner, carrier, shipper, and cargo loader
• Giving an inaccurate or speculative recorded statement
• Signing an overly broad medical authorization
• Posting collision, injury, travel, or activity information publicly on social media
• Missing medical appointments without documenting the reason
• Failing to report continuing or worsening symptoms
• Discarding receipts and wage-loss records
• Accepting a settlement before future medical needs are understood
• Assuming every deadline is two years

Accurate, consistent documentation is more useful than exaggeration. Preserve original records, maintain backup copies, and keep a dated log of communications with insurers, medical providers, employers, repair facilities, and other involved parties.

Texas Truck Accident Evidence Checklist

• Call 911 and request medical assistance
• Obtain the crash-report number
• Photograph the tractor, trailer, cargo, and all other vehicles
• Record company names, vehicle numbers, license plates, and U.S. DOT numbers
• Collect driver, carrier, owner, and insurance information
• Identify witnesses and obtain their contact information
• Save dashcam, mobile-phone, and other recordings
• Identify nearby traffic, business, residential, and vehicle cameras
• Photograph skid marks, debris, cargo, road conditions, and traffic controls
• Preserve the damaged vehicle before repair, salvage, or destruction
• Request preservation of electronic truck and logging data
• Preserve dispatch, cargo, inspection, and maintenance records
• Seek a timely medical evaluation
• Follow reasonable treatment recommendations
• Keep medical records, bills, prescriptions, and work restrictions
• Document missed work and reduced income
• Save towing, storage, repair, rental, and expense records
• Obtain every potentially applicable insurance policy
• Keep copies of insurer communications and settlement offers
• Confirm every applicable notice and filing deadline

Building a Strong Texas Truck Accident Claim

The most dangerous Texas roads for truck accidents combine substantial commercial traffic with congestion, high speeds, long-distance freight movement, construction, severe weather, or oilfield activity. However, the highway where a collision occurred is only one part of the investigation.

A strong claim connects the driver’s conduct, trucking operation, vehicle condition, cargo, and roadway evidence to the collision. It also connects the impact to the injuries, medical treatment, lost income, property damage, and other documented losses.

Preserving evidence early is especially important. Electronic logs may be retained for limited periods, fleet data may be overwritten, vehicles may be repaired or sold, surveillance footage may disappear, and witnesses may become difficult to locate.

For additional information about roadway, weather, crime, injury, and insurance risks across the state, visit The Morgan Law Group Texas Danger Index. You can also explore the Texas Resource Center for additional Texas legal and insurance claim guides.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dangerous Texas Roads and Truck Accidents