We’re all aware that drunk driving is incredibly dangerous, but the numbers may surprise you. Drunk driving is an exceptionally dangerous driving practice that continues to plague our roads. If a drunk driver leaves you or someone you love injured, protect your rights, your recovery, and your rightful compensation by consulting with an experienced Texas vehicle wreck attorney as soon after the accident as possible.
What’s In This Guide
Drunk Driving Deaths per Year
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the following sobering statistics apply to drunk driving across our nation:
- Every two minutes someone is injured in a car accident that involves a drunk driver.
- Every 51 minutes someone is killed in a car accident that involves a drunk driver.
- Drunk driving remains the number 1 cause of death on our roads.
According to Responsibility.Org, all the following drunk-driving related statistics apply to the State of Texas:
- In 2018, there were 1,332 total alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, which accounts for a considerable chunk of the nation’s total (10,511).
- Of all the traffic fatalities on Texas roadways in 2018, 36.8 percent were alcohol related, which is considerably higher than the national average of 28.8 percent.
- In 2018, 158 people under the age of 21 were killed in alcohol-related accidents, compared to the total of 980 young people killed nationally.
- In Texas, the number of people killed in alcohol-related accidents per 100,000 population in 2018 was 4.6, and the number was 3.2 nationally.
- In Texas, the number of people under the age of 21 killed in alcohol-related accidents per 100,000 population in 2018 was 1.8, and the number was 1.1 nationally.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has statistics of itse own, including:
- In 2016, nearly 10,500 people lost their lives to drunk drivers, and this represents a full 28 percent of total traffic fatalities in the nation.
- Of the 1,233 traffic fatalities of children aged 14 and younger in 2016, 17 percent involved alcohol impairment.
- In 2016, more than 1 million drivers were arrested for drunk driving, which represents only 1 percent of the 111 million impaired-driving events that adults self-reported that year.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious problem across our nation and in the State of Texas.
[Related Article] 2022 Distracted Driving Statistics in Texas
Drunk Drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares the impairments that drivers who are under the influence of alcohol experience, including:
- At the low BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of .02 percent, motorists experience a decline in visual function and a decline in the ability to perform two tasks simultaneously.
- At a BAC of .08 percent (the legal limit in Texas and in nearly every other state), motorists experience short-term memory loss, decreased concentration, diminished capacity related to speed control, impaired perceptions, and a reduction in their ability to process information.
- At a BAC of .15 percent, motorists experience substantial decreases in their ability to control their vehicles, in their ability to focus on the task of driving, and in their ability to appropriately process the visual and auditory information necessary to drive safely.
NHTSA also reports the following:
- About a third of all traffic fatalities in the United States are alcohol related (with BACs of at least .08 percent).
- In 2019, 10,142 people lost their lives to drunk drivers (what NHTSA calls preventable crashes).
- In the stretch of years from 2010 to 2019, more than 10,000 people lost their lives in alcohol-related accidents each year.
Drunk drivers are out there, and they leave us all at increased risk.
Your Car Accident Claim and the Car Insurance Company
If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver, you’ll file your claim with that driver’s car insurance provider, but the claims process is not set up in your favor. While you are entitled to coverage and the insurance company is paid to provide it, its primary focus is profits, which means that you will need to skillfully advocate for just compensation that covers your full range of losses. The most important step you can take toward this end is working closely with an experienced Texas car accident attorney from early on in the process. In terms of the insurance company, there are some moves that you should be on the lookout for – and that you shouldn’t be swayed by.
Claims Denials
The insurance company may baselessly deny your claim early on. Some claimants are so discouraged by this move that they simply give up, but the law, not the insurance company, has the final say in the matter, and your dedicated car accident attorney will help to ensure that your legal rights are upheld.
Early Settlement Offers
The insurance company may offer you an early settlement, which can feel like the answer to your accident-related financial woes. The fact is, however, that early settlement offers tend to be low offers that are designed to finalize your claim before you understand the extent of your losses (or legal damages).
Overly Complicated or Length Claims Processes
Even relatively simple car accident claims are complicated legal matters, and you can expect the process to be challenging. If, however, the insurance company decides to artificially complicate or drag out the process, it can prompt you to give up and simply accept whatever settlement offer the insurance company makes. The law is well aware of these stalling tactics and has statutes on the books to help thwart them. Your car accident attorney is well equipped to help keep the insurance company moving forward in accordance with the law.
Make the Call to an Experienced Texas Car Accident Attorney Today
The focused Texas car accident attorneys at The Patel Firm dedicate their practice to helping clients like you prevail with compensation that covers their complete losses and supports their fullest recoveries. To learn more, please don’t delay contacting or calling us at 361-400-2036 today.
