Did You Know – Midland Texas – Car, Truck, Oil Facts

The Midland, Texas region is known for its rich oil deposits. These have brought economic prosperity to the region, but have also caused strain. Expecting the oil boom to be followed by a crash, the region has not upgraded its infrastructure, and is becoming overwhelmed. So far, the growth shows no signs of stopping, and is actually increasing.

Midland Facts and Statistics

The population of Midland had reached 142,000, CNN reported as of November 7, 2019. That marks an increase of 30% over the course of a decade. The city of Midland has commissioned a study predicting that the population could grow to as much as 250,000 by 2030.

There are benefits to the oil boom. The news network also reported that in 2019 Midland’s unemployment rate was 2% – much lower than the national rate of 3.6%. Accommodating all those people and their vehicles, however, is another story.

Midland Car Accident Facts and Statistics

Drilling sites require a vast amount of equipment transported to and from the oil wells, and the constant activity on Midland roads has resulted in intense traffic congestion. In 2019, CNN reported that the mayor of Midland, Jerry Morales, stated that the huge population growth in the area had increased the number of vehicles on the city’s streets by 33,000 since 2014. The city cannot keep up.

A recent study from the Department of Transportation examined DWI statistics over the course of five years in cities with over 50,000 inhabitants. It found that Midland has an average of 6.19 DWI-related deaths per 100,000 head of population.

Per capita, that puts Midland in second place in Texas for DWI-related fatalities – a surprising and frightening statistic.

Truck Accident Facts and Statistics

As drilling in the region intensified in 2016, people poured into the Midland region. Among them were commercial vehicle drivers needed for the oil industry.

Of course, many of these new transplants were not familiar with narrow rural roads like the ones in Midland, and so the rate of accidents also started to increase. Employers pushed their drivers to work long, unforgiving hours to keep up with the increasing demand for their services. Fatigue began to play a part for even the more experienced drivers.

According to the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance (MOTRAN), commercial vehicle accidents have increased by an astonishing 160% since 2016, while fatalities from those accidents increased by 122%.

Midland is actually the leading Texas county in deaths caused by commercial vehicle crashes. The same MOTRAN study showed that the Odessa district contains four of the 10 Texas counties with the highest number of fatal commercial vehicle crashes: Ector, Midland, Reeves, and Winkler. Of those 10 counties, Midland had the third-highest number overall.

Contact Tate Law Offices, P.C., for Help with Any Injury

If you have suffered any injuries as a result of the negative consequences of the oil boom, contact Tate Law Offices, P.C., in Midland, Texas, to receive help from an experienced legal team. You can use the live chat function or online form on the website, or call us to consult with one of the attorneys.