Between 2000 and 2010, Pearland became the US’s 15th-fastest growing city. Today, Pearland is home to over 125,000 residents. Hundreds of businesses call Pearland home as well. 

Pearland’s growth supports a robust community and economy – but it also means more road traffic. Any roadway accident can cause serious injuries. If you or someone you love has been hurt in a Pearland car accident, reach out to an experienced attorney today. The team at Gustin Law Firm can help. 

Car Accidents in Pearland and Surrounding Counties

Pearland shares space with Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris Counties. All three counties saw multiple traffic crashes, deaths, and serious injuries in 2024, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

In 2024:

• Brazoria County recorded 5,896 accidents, causing 28 deaths and 232 serious injuries.
• Fort Bend County recorded 13,217 accidents, causing 41 deaths and 313 serious injuries.
• Harris County recorded 115,713 car accidents, causing 579 deaths and 2,688 serious injuries. 

Although Brazoria County had lower total rates of death and serious injury than its neighbors, the county posted higher percentages of car accidents that caused death or serious injury. In 2024, 4.5 percent of Brazoria County car accidents resulted in a death or serious injury, compared to 2.3 percent in Fort Bend County and 2.5 percent in Harris County. These numbers indicate that even though Brazoria County crashes occur less often, they cause more harm when they do happen. 

In 2024, several serious accidents occurred within the city limits of Pearland. These crashes claimed five lives and caused 39 serious injuries. Mild or moderate injuries were reported in over 700 collisions. Pearland reported 1,826 total car accidents in 2024 – an average of five per day. 

Dangerous Roadways in Pearland

TxDOT records show that some road types experience more crashes than others. In 2023, US and state highways were the deadliest roadways in Texas, recording 1,534 deaths. City streets ranked second as the site of 923 car accident deaths. Farm to market (FM) highways recorded 640 deaths in 2024. Interstate highways became the site of 740 fatalities in car wrecks, while county roads racked up 257 deaths. 

Pearland is served by several roads in the most dangerous categories. Major roads in Pearland include:

• SH 288, a state highway,
• FM 518 (Broadway Street) and FM 35 (Telephone Road), both farm to market highways,
• Pearland Parkway and Magnolia Parkway, major city streets. 

In 2024, thirteen deaths occurred on Brazoria County’s FM highways. Nine deaths occurred on US and state highways in Brazoria County. Four deaths occurred on county roads and two on city streets. 

While Interstate 45 doesn’t pass through Pearland, its close proximity to Pearland brings trucks and other vehicles into the area. I-45 is an essential travel route, but its traffic can raise the rates of serious accidents on Pearland’s state and FM highways, as well as its city streets. 

Common Causes of Pearland Car Accidents

Many Pearland car accidents are preventable. They occur because drivers and others fail to take the reasonable care required to prevent harm. Common causes of car crashes in Pearland include drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding, and failure to follow road rules. 

Drunk Driving

In 2024, 1,053 Texas travelers died in car accidents involving a drunk driver. Over 25 percent, or one in four, of those who died in Texas crashes in 2024 suffered their fate because someone chose to drink and drive. 

Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris Counties all recorded drunk driving crashes in 2024. In Brazoria County, nine people died and 30 were seriously injured in DUI crashes. Fort Bend County saw nine deaths and 27 serious injuries, while Harris County reported 165 deaths and 235 serious injuries in drunk driving crashes. 

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving remains a major problem on Texas roads. In 2024, 380 people died in Texas crashes involving distracted driving. These deaths included the loss of four lives in Brazoria County, three in Fort Bend County, and 29 in Harris County. Distracted driving also caused dozens of injuries in Pearland and surrounding communities. 

Distraction comes in many forms: cell phones, radio noise, conversation in a vehicle, eating, and events outside the vehicle. Drivers must commit to paying full attention to the road to avoid a collision. 

Speeding

“Speeding” includes both driving faster than the speed limit and driving too fast for road conditions. Both forms of speeding cause serious accidents. 

In 2024, exceeding the speed limit was a factor in 320 fatal crashes and 287 serious injury crashes in Texas. “Failure to control speed” was listed as a factor in 267 fatal collisions and 1,888 serious injury collisions. 

Failure to Follow Road Rules

Road rules exist to help drivers travel safely and control their vehicles. Ignoring warning signs, illegal or dangerous passing, failing to yield or stop for other traffic, parking in a traffic lane, weaving through traffic, and other failures to follow road rules don’t merely violate Texas law. They can also cause serious injuries or death. 

Other causes, like hidden defects in vehicles or defectively-designed roadways, can also lead to an accident. Speak to an experienced Pearland car accident attorney to learn more. 

Common Injuries in Pearland Car Accidents

Cars are heavy objects that travel at high speeds. They build up a lot of momentum. In a crash, the force of that momentum gets transferred to the bodies of those involved in the crash, where it can do serious damage. The resulting injuries can be catastrophic.

Serious injuries that occur in car accidents include:

• Traumatic brain injuries,
• Spinal cord injuries,
• Broken or dislocated bones,
• Damage to cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and other tissues, 
• Amputations or crush injuries,
• Internal organ damage,
• Psychological trauma.

Other injury types can occur as well. Many serious accidents cause multiple injuries. If you need help getting compensation to cover medical bills and other expenses, speak to an experienced Pearland car accident attorney today.

What to Expect in a Pearland Car Accident Case

All Texas car accident claims follow certain basic rules. These rules cover deadlines and time limits, available compensation, and more. Since the facts of your case are unique, it’s best to speak to an attorney who can help you understand how these rules will apply in your specific situation. 

Time Limits

Texas’s statute of limitations allows two years to file a lawsuit after the date of an accident. Typically, cases not filed within two years cannot be heard in court.

Some exceptions apply, but they are narrow, and they don’t fit all cases. An attorney can help you determine exactly when the deadline falls in your case. 

Compensation

A personal injury case seeks compensation for your losses. It focuses on losses you wouldn’t have suffered if the accident hadn’t happened. Most personal injury cases focus on compensation for losses like: 

• Medical bills for your injuries,
• Future medical expenses, if your injuries require ongoing care, rehabilitation, additional surgeries, or other costs,
• Lost wages if you were off work to heal,
• Lost future earning capacity, if your injuries permanently reduce or end your ability to work,
• The cost to fix or replace damaged property, like a totaled vehicle. 

Certain other “non-economic,” or personal, losses are covered as well. They may include your physical pain and suffering, ongoing trauma or emotional anguish, and the burden of lifelong disfigurement or disability. 

Compensation is unique in each case because your losses and their impact on your life are unique. Speak to a Pearland car wreck lawyer to understand what your case is worth. 

Wrongful Death: When a Car Accident Claims a Life

An injured person who survives a crash can bring their own personal injury claim to court. When injuries cause death, however, the injured person is no longer available to file their own claim. 

Instead, the family of the injured person can file a claim. These cases are typically called “wrongful death” claims. They seek the same goal as a personal injury case: to hold a negligent actor accountable for the harm they caused. 

A wrongful death case can seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, damaged property, and other losses, similar to a personal injury claim. The case can also seek losses connected to the death, like funeral expenses and the family’s loss of their loved one’s care, companionship, and support.

The sudden loss of a family member is devastating. An attorney can help you navigate a wrongful death case, so you can focus on your loved ones. 

Speak to a Dedicated Team of Pearland Car Accident Attorneys Today

A car crash turns your life upside-down. You may be struggling to recover from serious injuries, carrying the weight of grief after the loss of a loved one, or both. No matter what the future holds, you know one thing: Life will never be the same.

You don’t have to face this difficult time alone. Talk to an experienced Pearland car accident lawyer today. The team at Gustin Law Firm can help you understand your options and fight for the compensation you deserve. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Your initial conversation with one of our attorneys is free and confidential.