This year our great city is playing host to Super Bowl LI. While many of us will be watching the game from the comforts of our home, many will be at the game itself, cheering on the Falcons or the Patriots. It also means Houston’s roadways are going to be clogged with people who had a few too many during the big game.
In 2003, University of Toronto researchers compared data from 27 Super Bowl Sundays and discovered that there is a 41 percent increase in motor vehicle collisions in the hours that follow a Super Bowl. In addition, the average number of people killed in crashes after the Super Bowl was 24, which is an increase from 17 on the comparison Sundays. The researchers believe that drinking, driver fatigue, and distraction among drivers all contributed to the rise in accidents.
Since the Super Bowl is in Houston, you can bet that there will be more drunk drivers on our roads this Sunday. So we want everyone to stay safe before, during, and after the celebrations. But before you take a drink, keep these facts in mind about drunk driving accidents in Texas:
- Your first DWI penalty will put you in jail from 72 hours to 180 days, a maximum fine of up to $2,000 and suspension of your license from 90 to 365 days.
- If you are charged with and convicted of a DWI with a child passenger, this is a felony in Texas. You can serve up to 2 years in a state jail facility, have your license suspended for up to 2 years, and receive a maximum fine of $10,000.
- You may have to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle as well as attend a DWI intervention or education program.
- If you hold a CDL license, the charges are stricter. You will receive significant fines, the loss of your license, jail time, and your career is pretty much over.
- If your car accident results in a death, you may be charged with intoxication manslaughter. This is a felony that can send you to jail for up to 10 years in a Texas Department of Corrections facility. Not only that, but you may face a wrongful death lawsuit from the survivors.
Is it worth all that? Stay safe on Sunday, Houston!
If you are injured in a car accident involving a drunk driver, let us help. Contact the drunk driving accident lawyers at de Lachica Law Firm today for a free consultation.