At the Hollingsworth Law Firm, our Houston car accident attorneys know that the potential for drunk driving accidents spikes over the holidays. Unfortunately, that becomes increasingly true over Independence Day.
People are taking off work, going on vacations, attending barbecues, visiting beaches, and unwinding — typically with alcohol-related drinks as their preferred beverages.
The data shows that some of those people will get behind the wheel after drinking too much. According to a recent MoneyGeek study, your risk of encountering drunk drivers on the Fourth of July is 77% over the trend.
What is more, due to July 4th, DUI accidents are expected to rise dramatically this year. MoneyGeek analyzed the five most recent years of DUI crash fatalities from the National Highway Traffic Safety FARS database, and used a time series forecasting model to project the 2023 DUI fatalities by day. They found Independence Day week is forecasted to be the deadliest in 2023, with 311 expected fatalities.
How Can I Help Prevent Drunk Driving in Texas?
While it is impossible to control the actions of motorists throughout Texas, especially the ones you do not personally know, it is possible to help keep your friends or family members from getting behind the wheel after they have had too much to drink.
Some ways to prevent drunk driving include:
- Appoint a trusted designated driver whenever you go out for drinks.
- Use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft if you are too intoxicated to drive home.
- Do not get into a car driven by someone who is too intoxicated to drive.
- Take your friends’ keys if they are too drunk to drive home and allow them to stay overnight or schedule a rideshare to get them home safely.
- Avoid potentially drunk drivers by knowing the signs of drunk driving, including those who are driving very slowly, not staying in their lane, or braking and drifting erratically. Contact the authorities with their vehicle information once you are stopped safely, so they can get the intoxicated driver off the road.
- If you are a pedestrian, avoid jaywalking and look out for reckless and potentially drunk drivers when you are crossing the street.
Contact Our Car Accident and Injury Lawyers in Houston, Texas Today
At the Hollingsworth Law Firm, our car accident attorneys in Houston hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July. We also hope you never need us, but if your life is impacted by a drunk driver over the holiday — or any day — contact our dedicated Harris County personal injury lawyers by calling 713-637-4560 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
Our skilled bilingual personal injury lawyers and support staff represent clients throughout the state of Texas on a contingency basis, so you never pay any legal fees unless we win your case.
If you are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve, so are we. Let us take the lead.
