With the plethora of public awareness campaigns and education about the dangers of drunk driving provided by advocacy groups and others, you might believe that people are finally getting the message and are willing to hang up their keys if they are going to drink. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Drunk driving continues to be a major factor in many motor vehicle accidents throughout Texas.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol was a factor in 38 percent of all traffic fatalities statewide in 2016. That year saw 1,438 lives lost at the hands of drunk drivers out of a total 3,776 vehicular fatalities overall. The number of people killed in these crashes has actually risen compared to prior years. In 2012 and 2013 there were 1,210 and 1,327 drunk driving deaths in Texas, respectively.
This statewide trend is sadly reflected in Bexar County where overall traffic death as well as drunk driving deaths have jumped in the five years from 2012 to 2016. In 2012, there were 77 people killed in alcohol-related crashes and that actually dropped slightly to 74 in 2014 but then by 2016 rose again to 85. The county saw 169 people die in all car crashes in 2012 and that number increased to 221 just four years later. Clearly, more is needed to help keep people safe from these negligent drivers.
If you would like to learn more about how you might get help after you or someone you love has been involved in a drunk driving accident, please feel free to visit the drunk driving compensation page of our Texas personal injury website.