TxDOT resists requests for wreck data

From statesman.com, July 24, 2008...

Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation have sued Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office to prevent the release of records about Texas vehicle crashes.

The agency, in resisting the request from a San Antonio television station, cited a 1997 state law designed to shield those involved in car accidents from being contacted by attorneys looking to represent them in lawsuits. That law says that in order to get the report of a specific accident, a requester must have at least two of these pieces of information: the accident date, the address of the wreck and the names of those involved.

TxDOT had earlier agreed in a compromise to release information to News 4 WOAI and reporter Brian Collister that would include nothing about specific accidents. It's now withholding the entire database.That database lists specifics about all accidents that occur in Texas, including whether alcohol was involved and whether there were deaths or serious injuries.

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Austin drivers more accident-prone than others in Texas

From Austin Business Journal, July 2, 2008...

Maybe it's the near-constant gridlock. Or perhaps it has something to do with locals' propensity to chat and text behind the wheel. Whatever the cause, a new report suggests Austin's roads are the least safe in the state.

The national report from Allstate Insurance Co. (NYSE: ALL) examined insurance claims data to determine the likelihood drivers in the 200 largest U.S. cities would experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average.

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