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Unfortunately, drunk driving accidents are far too common in Texas. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), someone is hurt or killed in a crash involving alcohol approximately every 20 minutes. Texas leads the nation in drunk driving crashes and fatalities.
Out of all of the counties in the state of Texas, Dallas County had the second-highest amount of DUI crashes in 2013 at 2,489; the only county with more DUI crashes was Harris County with 2,938 crashes. Here is how those nearly 2,500 crashes in Dallas County were broken down for 2013:
- Fatal accidents – 74
- Fatalities – 82
- Serious injury crashes – 597
- Serious injuries – 862
- Other injury crashes – 422
- Other injuries – 814
- Non-injury crashes – 1,301
- Unknown severity crashes – 95
Drunk driving in Texas has become an epidemic of sorts. While our crash numbers have been coming down slightly in the past few years, they are not nearly low enough compared to other states. So, what is the problem? Why is drunk driving such a huge problem in Texas? It really boils down to grown adults making poor decisions. If a person knows they are going to be drinking alcohol, they need to make plans in advance for a designated driver, or be smart enough to call a cab at the end of the evening. On the law enforcement side of things, Texas is taking strides toward cracking down on drunk drivers, but Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is hoping our state will legalize the option of sobriety checkpoints and require ignition interlock devices for all first time convicted drunk drivers.
Have You Or A Loved One Been Injured By A Drunk Driver?
If you've been injured by a drunk driver in Texas you need to speak with an experienced drunk driver injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.