Approximately every 20 minutes, an alcohol-impaired driver kills or injures someone in a Texas DUI crash. Drunk driving in Texas is a serious problem that does not appear to be improving. Even with state and national campaigns against drunk and impaired driving, Texas continues to be the worst country in America for alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Unfortunately, the education and the increased law enforcement efforts to stop drunk driving have been insufficient to stop all drunk drivers.
How Do Driver’s Perceive Drunk Driving?
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released its 2017 Traffic Safety Culture Index in March 2018. The index reveals a great deal of information about how American drivers view driving-related issues, including distracted driving, speeding, aggressive driving, drowsy driving, and alcohol-impaired driving. While most people in the country view drunk driving as a serious threat that carries a negative stigma, many drivers continue to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired by alcohol. Some drivers admit in blind surveys that they drive after consuming alcohol, the social stigma associated with drunk driving probably prevents many other respondents from answering truthfully.
According to the survey’s respondents, roughly 21 percent of drivers admitted they operated a motor vehicle after consuming too much alcohol to drive safely. Adults between the ages of 25 and 39 years had the highest number of respondents who admitted to driving while impaired.
Deaths and Injuries in Drunk Driving Accidents in Texas and the United States
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), Texas had the highest number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2016 (1,438 fatalities). There were 949 drivers with a BAC of 15 percent or higher involved in fatal DUI accidents that year. During 2015, Texas was also the state with the highest number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities with 1,323 deaths in 2015. Texas also had the highest number of DUI-related deaths in 2014 with 1,446 deaths.
The Texas Department of Transportation also provides state-specific DUI crash information. However, the numbers are slightly lower and maybe because the crashes used to compile this data is based on “reportable data” from accident information on CR-3 crash reports. According to this information, 987 people died in DUI accidents in Texas during 2016.
However, thousands of people reported injuries from DUI accidents. The report states that 2,302 people suffered incapacitating DUI injuries, 5,893 people had non-incapacitating DUI injuries, and 6,481 people had possible DUI injuries. When you compare the statistics from rural areas to urban areas, the totals are not very different. Therefore, drunk driving in Texas appears to be a problem throughout the state.
The cities with the highest number of DUI crashes in 2016 were:
- San Antonio — 1,845
- Houston — 1,492
- Austin — 1,432
- Dallas — 1,310
- El Paso — 759
Sadly, drunk driving accidents alter the lives of millions of people each year by killing and injuring thousands of people across the United States. For more statistics about drunk driving or to check the statistics for your specific city or area, you can visit the website for the Texas Department of Transportation.
Penalties for Drunk Driving in Texas
If you are driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher, you can be charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). However, you can also be charged with DUI if your BAC is below .08, but your ability to operate the motor vehicle safely is impaired by alcohol in your system.
Depending on the circumstances, a person convicted of drunk driving can face several punishments. Fines can range from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 for some offenses. Jail time also ranges from a few months to several years. In addition to fines and jail, some drivers may lose their licenses or be forced to install a special ignition switch on their vehicle.
Houston DUI Accident Attorneys
For a free consultation with one of our Houston DUI accident lawyers, contact Weycer Law Firm 24/7 by calling (713) 668-4545 or using the chat feature on our website. Our team of legal professionals can help you hold the drunk driver who caused your crash responsible for his or her actions so that you can receive compensation for your losses and injuries.