Drunk driving issues many people overlook

On Behalf of | Aug 15, 2019 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

The next time you get behind the wheel of a car to drive, will you be able to tell if there’s a drunk driver near you? The answer might be yes if, for example, you notice a car weaving left and right in its lane. Of course, that is also often a sign of distracted driving, as well. Drunk drivers often exhibit certain behaviors that may alert you to potential danger and help you avoid collision.

Then again, even you notice suspicious driving behavior nearby, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to swiftly and safely react to avert disaster. Drunk drivers are menaces to Texas roadways. Surviving a drunk driving accident often means you will need weeks or months to recover. The type of support network you set up from the start may greatly influence the fullness of your recovery.

Things to know about drunk drivers

You might think it’s easy to spot drunk drivers on Texas highways. The fact is, that’s not always the case. The following list provides information that shows drunk driving is a problem that often affects people suddenly and unexpectedly: 

  • If the court convicts someone of drunk driving, he or she is likely to have driven under the influence as many as 80 times before his or her first arrest. 
  • Every two minutes in the United States, someone suffers injury in an alcohol-related collision.
  • Just because the state suspends or revokes a drunk driver’s license doesn’t guarantee he or she will not operate a motor vehicle. Many people get behind the wheel without valid licenses to drive.
  • The type of alcohol you drink doesn’t protect you from possible drunk driving. Alcohol affects every person’s body differently, and whether you have beer, wine or hard liquor, you are still legally obligated to make sure you are not impaired when you drive.

The good news is that current data shows there may be less drunk driving crashes nowadays than there used to be. If someone makes an irresponsible decision to drive after consuming alcohol, however, you may be the one to suffer emotional, physical and, even, financial damage because of it.

If that happens

Recovering from the physical injuries that often result in drunk driving collisions can take a long time. You might need surgery or have to attend physical therapy sessions to help your body regain full function. Sadly, that’s not always possible, as many accident victims have partial or full disabilities for the rest of their lives because of intoxicated drivers.

You’d undoubtedly rely heavily on your medical team to help you achieve as full a physical recovery as possible. You may also seek licensed counseling to help you emotionally recover from the incident. As for financial damages, the state allows accident victims to seek financial accountability against those whose negligence caused their injuries.

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