Chad Tidwell Killed in Car Accident on FM 2920 in Harris County, TX
Harris County, TX -- December 27, 2021, driver Chad Tidwell was killed in a traffic collision on Farm to Market Road 2920 in Harris County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 12:50 p.m. in the area of 8400 FM 2920 near Emerald Mist Parkway. Preliminary investigation suggests Tidwell was driving a Chevrolet Impala west in the inside lane of the roadway when a nearby Dodge Ram pickup truck, headed east, veered through the center turn lane and entered westbound traffic. The Dodge and the Chevrolet collided on their front left quarters.
Tidwell suffered fatal injuries in the collision. Two passengers in the Impala and the Dodge driver received non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Chad Tidwell Accident on FM 2920 in Harris County
Some may be inclined after reading these reports to immediately lay all the blame on the crossover driver's shoulders. They might make accusations of distraction from a cell phone, being too tired to drive straight, speeding, or one of the handful of other common explanations for accidents like this. Cynics might even decide to point a finger at intoxication despite the wreck occurring on a Monday afternoon.
All of those factors are responsible for many accidents that start with fact patterns like this one, and I wouldn't suggest ignoring any of them when figuring out what happened on FM 2920. Of particular concern is alcohol's possible involvement, as that might mean a local business should be be held accountable for over-serving their customer under dram shop law.
However, none of those theories can be taken for granted. A full investigation won't overlook less-common factors as well. For instance, what if a mechanical or tire failure in the truck caused it to cross over?
That may seem a little out of left field, but vehicular failures are more common than you may think. Consider General Motors' massive recall a few years ago: A defective ignition switch in millions of their vehicles led to over a hundred fatal wrecks due to events completely beyond drivers' control. Likewise, tires made by every major manufacturer sometimes roll off the line with serious defects that tend to rear their ugly heads at the worst possible time--such as when a vehicle is rolling down the road.
Despite the serious danger such defects pose, it often takes quite some time for investigators to connect the dots. Why? Because when the defects cause crashes, more often than not those in charge of the individual investigations don't have the time or expertise to look for something as specific and technical as a defective part. When they don't properly account for every possibility, drivers get blamed for drinking or texting even though their crashes are beyond their control.
I'm not saying something like that was necessarily behind the Harris County accident. My point is the possibility of such overlooked details is why it's so important to be thorough after these tragic incidents. The goal should always be to conduct a proper investigation into all possible factors--common or not--and get real answers for those affected, and this crash is no exception. In the meantime it's best to focus efforts on what can be done for the victims and their families until the facts can do the talking.
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