How to Avoid a Drunk Driving Accident During the Holidays

The holidays are one of the most dangerous times to be on the roads in Texas and the U.S. That’s because fatal auto accidents tend to skyrocket over holidays, with drunk driving largely to blame. In fact, no matter what season it is or what celebration is occurring, keeping a look out for drunk drivers — and taking a few steps to avoid impaired driving crashes — could save lives.

Here’s how.

Holiday Auto Accidents in Texas: How Many Deadly Holiday Crashes Involve Alcohol?

Far too many wrecks on the roads in Texas involve alcohol during and outside of holiday periods. That’s evident in the latest data and statistics from Texas transportation authorities, with the table below showing 2022 data and alcohol-related deadly accidents over different holiday periods.

Here are some notable findings from the above holiday drunk driving accident data:

• Over every holiday in 2022, roughly 1 in 3 deadly motor vehicle accidents involved a drunk driver.
• In 2022, Memorial Day was the deadliest holiday on Texas’s roads. There were more fatal accidents on Memorial Day than any other holiday last year, and more of these accidents were caused by drunk drivers (56%) than over any other holiday period.
• Any traffic death caused by alcohol could have been prevented.

5 Tips to Avoid Drunk Driving Accidents Over the Holidays (& Any Time of Year)

Knowing how risky and deadly drunk driving is, you can take steps to reduce your risks and stay a little safer whenever you’re navigating the roads of Houston, Sugar Land, Austin, Dallas, and Texas.

The following shares some simple steps you can take to be proactive about safety and minimize your risk of a drunk driving accident over the holidays or any time of year. These aren’t surprising or groundbreaking, by the way — and you may have heard at least a few before; the point is that they can and do work to prevent drunk driving accidents when folks make prudent choices to follow them.

1. Only drive when you’re sober.

Alcohol can impair our abilities to make sound judgments. Sometimes, that misguides folks into thinking they’re “OK to drive” or that they “drive better after a couple of drinks.” Don’t fall into those traps. Commit to only driving when you’re sober, well-rested, and ready to fully focus on the roads.

2. Plan before you party.

If you’re planning to go out and drink alcohol, add one more step to your plans — plan a ride home before you go out. That can mean:

• Downloading and setting up a new rideshare app: Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare options operate in many, if not most, major cities across Texas.
• Asking a friend to give you a ride: If you’re on the way and going to the same place, see if you can get a ride home from someone you know.
• Having some taxi or ride service numbers on hand: If you have the numbers saved in your phone, you’ll can easily call them when you’re ready to go.

The idea is to make it as easy as possible for yourself to get home without getting behind the wheel after you’ve had a few or more to drink.

3. Buckle up.

Whether you’re driving (sober) or riding in a car, always wear your seatbelt. Buckling up can greatly reduce the risk of severe and fatal injuries if a crash happens, and it doesn’t usually take that much effort (or time).

4. Consider staying off the roads.

The early morning hours when bars close can be some of the riskiest. So, try to avoid getting on the roads, if at all possible, during the late night and early morning hours.

5. Stay vigilant.

Keep an eye out for impaired drivers around you, so you can be as responsive as possible, whether you’re a driver, a pedestrian, or someone riding in a car, pointing out something “off.” Looking out for the signs of drunk drivers can help you steer clear of them.

How to Spot Impaired Drivers on Texas Roads

Drunk drivers tend to experience several impairments, and those can be evident via red flags like (but not limited to):

• Swerving or failing to stay within one’s lane of traffic
• Slowing down and speeding up without any rhyme or reason
• Driving way too fast or way too slow for the speed limit
• Waiting too long at red lights or stop signs
• Running red lights or otherwise ignoring traffic signals or signage
• Driving without headlights on
• Driving with cabin lights or blinkers on

Drunk drivers may also fall asleep at the wheel or be involved in hit-and-run accidents. Whenever or wherever you think you see a drunk driver in Texas:

1. Do your best to stay away from and steer clear of that risky driver.
2. Call the police to report the risky motorist. Law enforcement officers can respond, pull over dangerous drivers, and make sure that drunk drivers don’t cause crashes (or more wrecks).

Did a Drunk Driver Cause My Auto Accident?

It can take time, an investigation into the wreck, and a closer look at the available evidence to answer this question. A drunk driving accident lawyer can help.

At the end of the day, even if a drunk driver caused your wreck, you’ll need to be able to prove liability when it’s time to deal with insurance companies. That can be challenging if you’ve never been through the process before, and even one misstep could have major consequences. Move forward on stronger footing with the support and representation of a drunk driving accident lawyer.