Midland, Texas Distracted Driver Accidents: Protecting Lives Amid the Permian Boom

Midland, Texas, is the central, heavily populated city in the heart of the Permian Basin. Its economic growth draws many workers to the area, resulting in heavy truck traffic on local highways. While these financial benefits are significant, they also contribute to dangerous driving, particularly distracted driving, in a region already known for a high accident rate. In 2024, Texas recorded 2,132 motorcycle accidents and 38,909 truck accidents. Distracted driving played a major role, contributing to nearly one in five crashes that caused injuries or fatalities, including 373 deaths and 2,586 serious injuries statewide. Midland County alone saw 874 injury accidents, resulting in 1,280 injuries and 24 deaths, many involving oilfield workers juggling calls, electronic logs, or fatigue. With the Permian’s fatality rate reaching 14.7 per 1,000 crashes, nearly double the state average, distracted driving further increases risks on routes like U.S. 285, known as 'Death Highway.' At A2X Law, our nationwide team specializes in catastrophic and personal injury cases, advocating for Midland victims to secure justice against negligent drivers.


Understanding Distracted Driving: More Than Just Texting 

Distracted driving encompasses any activity that diverts attention from the road, including texting, eating, or adjusting a GPS. These activities took the lives of 3,275 people in the United States in 2023. In Texas, it became the second leading cause of crashes, second only to speeding. More than 30 percent of crashes involved the use of a phone. The oil boom in Midland intensified the problem, allowing fatigued haulers to operate electronic logs and use their phones while traveling through traffic. Again, commute hours allowed workers to scroll through their own social media apps while they were not working. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) "Talk. Text. Crash." campaign talked about the staggering number of people impacted, including 431 deaths in 2021 and 2,934 injuries in 2021, which continued to rise into 2025. County roads in the Permian, with inherent hazards of limited lighting and high speeds, magnify the danger of distracted driving, as even an instant, brief encounter with the phone can lead to a crash. 


Common Causes and Scenarios in Midland 

Distracted driving manifests in varied, preventable ways, amplified by the region’s unique pressures: 

  • Cell Phone Use: Texting or calls top the list, involved in 30% of crashes. Oilfield drivers, rushing to rigs, often handle work calls, contributing to 45% of fatal truck incidents. 
  • In-Vehicle Distractions: Eating, adjusting the radio, or engaging in conversations with passengers cause 20% of accidents. In Midland’s truck-heavy flow, a momentary glance away can lead to rear-ends on I-20. 
  • External Factors: Daydreaming or GPS fiddling accounts for 14% of nationwide fatalities, with a notable increase in the Permian’s monotonous rural stretches. 
  • Oilfield-Specific Pressures: Haulers are often distracted by fatigue or logs, a common occurrence during 15- to 20-hour shifts, which contributes to one in five Permian crashes, according to TxDOT data. 


These lapses often strike vulnerable road users: Pedestrians and cyclists comprise 1 in 5 distracted-driving deaths. At the same time, motorcyclists face amplified risks in truck blind spots. 


Texas Laws and Penalties: Holding Distracted Drivers Accountable 

Texas bans texting for all drivers and handheld phone use for those under 18, with fines of up to $99 for first offenses escalating to $200 plus jail time for repeat offenses. No statewide ban on handheld devices exists for adults; however, local ordinances in Midland prohibit the use of handheld devices in school zones. A distracted driving violation will increase rates by 21.56 percent starting in 2024, yet enforcement fails to keep pace. More than twenty-five states do not strictly prohibit all handheld use. While Texas has a modified comparative fault rule that allows victims to recover damages as long as they are not more than 51 percent at fault, the law limits the recovery for a victim unless they can prove, such as through phone records or witness statements, an essential piece of evidence, given the sparse surveillance in the Permian Basin. 


Compensation for Victims: What You Can Recover 

Injured parties can seek economic and non-economic damages: 

  • Economic: Medical expense (up to $500,000 for a severe TBI), lost wages (with an average in oil jobs being $80,000, and an average economy job $52,000), and property damage. 
  • Non-Economic: Pain, suffering, and emotional distress, uncapped in Texas. 
  • Punitive: For gross negligence, like repeated texting, adding deterrence. 


Victims in Midland often have multi-party claims against trucking companies, which may use FMCSA logs against the employer. 


Steps After a Distracted Driver Crash in Midland 

  1. Seek Medical Aid: Even minor impacts cause delayed injuries; ER visits document causation. 
  2. Report Immediately: Call 911 and TxDOT for detailed reports, including distraction indicators. 
  3. Gather Evidence: Photos, witnesses, and phone data counter insurer denials. 
  4. Notify Insurers: File claims cautiously to avoid fault-shifting. 
  5. Consult Counsel: Within days, to navigate the two-year statute. 


Safety Tips: Combating Distractions on Permian Roads 

  • Hands-Free Only: Use Bluetooth for calls; pull over for texts. 
  • Minimize In-Car Tasks: Pre-set GPS and snacks before driving. 
  • Defensive Riding: Be aware of the inattentive trucks on U.S. 285. 
  • Advocate Locally: Support TxDOT’s campaigns and report violations. 

A2X Law: Your Defender Against Distracted Drivers 

At A2X Law, we champion Midland victims of distracted driving, investigating phone records and ELD data to build ironclad cases. We secure maximum compensation, holding negligent drivers and oil firms accountable in Texas’s fault system. Call us today at (361) 452-1279!