Travis County, TX — September 21, 2025, two people were injured due to a single-car accident shortly before 1:00 a.m. along U.S. Highway 290.

According to authorities, two people—a 21-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman—were traveling in a northwest bound Mazda 3 on U.S. 290 in the vicinity of the Hays County Lane intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, the Mazda was involved in a single-vehicle collision in which it apparently struck a culvert. The man—who had been behind the wheel of the vehicle—reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. The woman suffered minor injuries, as well, reports state. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identities of the victims—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a single-car crash leaves people seriously hurt, especially during the early morning hours, the assumption is often that it's just a simple driving mistake. But that assumption can miss critical details—ones that might explain what really happened, and why.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

Crashing into a culvert suggests a significant deviation from the road, but the cause of that deviation isn’t always obvious. Did investigators analyze the vehicle’s path? Were any tire marks or signs of sudden movement documented? It’s one thing to note where a vehicle ended up; it’s another to fully understand how it got there. When crashes happen around 1 a.m., the pressure to quickly clear the scene can lead to shortcuts in evidence gathering—especially if no other vehicles are involved.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

A sudden steering failure, a brake malfunction, or a suspension issue could all send a car off course without warning. Those kinds of problems are easy to overlook if the car still looks intact on the outside. But unless a thorough mechanical inspection is done—especially after an impact with something like a culvert—there’s no way to rule out a defect. And once the car is towed and repaired or scrapped, that chance may be gone.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

A car like a Mazda 3 is likely to have onboard systems that track driver inputs—speed, braking, steering angles, and more. That data could reveal if the driver reacted or if the car behaved unpredictably. It might also show whether the driver was accelerating, distracted, or trying to avoid something. GPS logs and phone activity could fill in even more of the story. But none of that insight is possible if the data wasn’t preserved right after the crash.

It’s not just about understanding a moment in time—it’s about recognizing that the moment may not have played out the way it first appeared. That’s why asking deeper questions is always worth the effort.

Takeaways:

• Serious single-car crashes need more than a surface-level review of the scene.
• A hidden mechanical issue can’t be ruled out without a full inspection.
• Onboard vehicle and phone data could explain what happened—if someone looked for it.