Almost every day, in Houston, someone is seriously hurt or killed due to a drunk driver. The reports go on and on day after day and despite the best efforts of our law enforcement and elected officials the problem shows no sign of abatement.
In the Houston area we have tried no refusal weekends, which I must say was a very successful campaign in terms of the number of arrests made on the street. Even with that successful campaign, there is little evidence to suggest that DWIs are dropping.
Often, as in reports from a recent car accident on I 45 in North Houston, speed is combined with allegations of drinking and driving to result in a very serious accident. Some authorities have estimated as much as 40% of fatal car accidents in the Houston area can be attributed to alcohol.
I would suggest that the key to reducing drunk driving accidents in the Houston area is to combine stepped-up enforcement with a statewide campaign focused on the dangers and consequences of drunk driving. Such campaigns as "friends do not let friends drive drunk" have been very successful. Another campaign I noticed in the neighboring state was 'don't ride drunk' and I am curious to see how effective that can be. A great many times the passenger of a drunk driver is the one that is seriously injured or killed.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston DWI accident lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping personal injury victims seek civil justice. If you would like to speak with a Houston drunk driving accident victims lawyer call the Baumgartner firm.
