Texas held the number one position for the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the United States again for another year. Sadly, this distinction is not something that Texans would like to claim, but it is true, nonetheless. Drunk driving accidents resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries nationwide during 2018. Let’s look at some of the specific drunk driving statistics from last year.
Drunk Driving Accident Statistics Nationwide
During 2017, one person died every 48 minutes in the United States in a drunk driving accident. In 2016, the average was one person every 50 minutes.
The number of alcohol-related fatalities increased from 2016 to 2017. According to the statistics provided by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-impaired driving fatalities totaled 10,874 in 2017, including 220 children under the age of fifteen. During 2016, 10,497 people lost their lives in accidents involving drunk drivers. Approximately one-third of all traffic fatalities each year involve a driver who is impaired by alcohol.
These figures include accidents involving drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher. Therefore, the number of DUI deaths could be much higher when you consider drivers who caused a traffic accident while operating a vehicle when they were impaired by alcohol but not over the legal limit.
July had the highest number of alcohol-impaired deaths during 2017, followed by August and September. Seventy percent of the drunk driving accidents that resulted in a fatality occurred at night. Urban drunk driving accidents were slightly higher in 2017 (55%) compared to rural drunk driving crashes.
Texas Drunk Driving Accident Statistics
During 2017, 1,468 people were killed in drunk driving accidents in Texas according to the NHTSA. The 2017 figure was just slightly higher than the previous year (1,438). California held the second highest number at 1,120.
The figures reported by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) were slightly lower than the figures reported by the NHTSA.
According to the TxDOT, the DUI statistics for 2017 are:
- 910 Fatal DUI Crashes resulting in 1,024 DUI fatalities
- 1,594 Suspected Serious DUI Crashes resulted in 2,169 suspected serious injuries
- 3,530 Possible Injury DUI Crashes resulting in 5,841 possible DUI injuries
- 3,914 Non-Incapacitating DUI Crashes resulting in 5,666 non-incapacitating DUI injuries
The Texas counties with the highest number of DUI fatalities during 2017 were:
- Harris County (151)
- Dallas County (95)
- Bexar County (53)
- Travis County (41)
- Tarrant County (32)
The top five Texas cities for DUI deaths in 2017 were:
- Houston (72)
- Dallas (70)
- San Antonio (49)
- Austin (22)
- Fort Worth (19)
How Do U.S. Drivers View Driving Under the Influence?
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducts a Traffic Safety Culture Index each year. The 2018 Index was released in June 2019. According to the survey, 11 percent of drivers admitted to driving after consuming alcohol within the past 30 days, even though just over 95 percent of the respondents indicated that drinking and driving is very or extremely dangerous.
Similar results applied to driving after using marijuana. Seventy percent of respondents indicated it was very or extremely dangerous to drive within an hour after using marijuana, but 7 percent admitted to doing so.
You can read the full report on the Foundation’s website.
Civil and Criminal Penalties for DUI Accidents in Texas
Anyone driving while impaired by alcohol could face severe criminal penalties in Texas. The legal limit for drunk driving in Texas is a BAC of .08 or higher. A driver could face substantial fines and jail time for a DUI conviction.
If a drunk driver causes an accident, the driver may also face additional criminal penalties. However, the driver also faces civil penalties for the damages and losses sustained by victims of the DUI accident. A Texas DUI accident attorney can help victims file insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damages, physical pain, emotional distress, and other damages after a DUI crash.
Contact a Houston DUI Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review
The Texas DUI accident lawyers of Weycer Law Firm help individuals and families seek compensation for injuries and losses incurred because of a drunk driver. For a free consultation, call (713) 668-4545. You may also use the chat feature on our website for information 24/7.
