Summer DUI Accidents in Texas: What Injury Victims Need to Know

Houston drunk driving accident lawyers explain the spike in crashes during summer

Summer in Texas means long weekends, backyard barbecues, beach trips, and fireworks. But it also means a sharp rise in drunk driving crashes, especially around holidays like Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. These aren’t just statistics – they’re real families whose lives change in an instant.

At Smith & Hassler, our Houston drunk driving accident lawyers know the damage these drivers cause. We’ve seen the aftermath of impaired driving crashes on highways like I-10, I-45, and Loop 610. If you or someone you love was hit by a drunk driver during the summer in Texas, here’s what you need to know to protect your rights and pursue compensation.

Texas leads the nation in deadly DUI crashes

Texas consistently ranks first in the country for the number of traffic deaths involving impaired drivers. Many of these tragedies occur during the summer, when more young drivers are on the road, alcohol consumption increases, and holiday weekends stretch late into the night.

The numbers are startling. Each year, anywhere from 20 percent to 40 percent of all car accident fatalities in Texas occur due to drunk drivers, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). And roughly 1 out of 5 drunk driving fatalities in Texas occur during holiday periods like Memorial Day, the July 4th weekend, and Labor Day.

And worst of all, those numbers only seem to be getting worse each year. The highest annual drunk driving death tolls in Texas have all been in recent years, when 40 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in Texas were due to impaired drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Why are summer holidays more dangerous for DUI crashes?

More traffic. More alcohol. Less caution. It’s a dangerous mix.

Summer holidays tend to bring out both social gatherings and long-distance road trips. Many people travel unfamiliar roads after parties, festivals, or lakeside celebrations. Alcohol is often involved, especially during July 4th, when celebrations stretch well into the evening and continue the next day.

This combination leads to several common crash scenarios:

Drunk drivers running red lights late at night.
High-speed crashes on highways after bars close.
Wrong-way drivers entering freeways in the early morning.
Rear-end collisions in heavy post-event traffic.
Head-on collisions on rural roads after fireworks shows.

These are the kinds of wrecks we see every summer. And the injuries – brain damage, spinal injuries, burns, and wrongful deaths – are among the most severe.

What makes summer DUI cases different from other wrecks?

Summer DUI crashes often happen under chaotic circumstances – after fireworks, concerts, sports events, or multi-family gatherings. That means there may be more witnesses, more complex traffic conditions, or multiple insurance policies involved.

These cases also tend to involve more serious injuries because drunk driving crashes often occur at night, at high speeds, and with no attempt to brake or slow down. We understand the stakes. Our legal team digs deep into the facts and fights hard to make sure our clients get every dollar they’re owed.

Who can be held liable after a summer drunk driving crash?

In Texas, the drunk driver is always legally responsible (liable) for the harm they cause. But they may not be the only one who can be held accountable. Other potential sources of compensation may include:

The drunk driver’s employer, if the driver was on the job or driving a company vehicle.
A bar or restaurant, under Texas dram shop laws, if they overserved the driver.
A social host, in rare cases involving minors served alcohol at private parties.
The vehicle owner, if they knowingly allowed an unlicensed or impaired person to drive.

Holding the right parties accountable requires evidence, fast action and an attorney who knows where to look and how Texas’ legal system works. Our firm has years of experience tracking down evidence and proving who’s at fault in complex drunk driving accident cases.

How is fault proven in a DUI accident?

Proving that alcohol caused or contributed to a crash can require more than a police report. Some drunk drivers refuse DUI testing. Others flee the scene. In some cases, police fail to file DWI charges – but that doesn’t mean you can’t pursue a civil claim.

Evidence that helps prove drunk driving caused your accident includes:

Police crash reports and DWI arrest records
Blood alcohol content (BAC) test results
Video footage from dashcams or nearby businesses
Eyewitness statements
Bar receipts or surveillance showing over-service
Social media posts, check-ins, or photos from the event

An experienced attorney can subpoena these records and preserve time-sensitive evidence before it’s lost or destroyed.

What compensation can victims recover?

If you’ve been injured in a drunk driving crash in Texas, you have the right to seek full compensation for your losses. This includes money for:

Emergency room bills and ongoing medical care
Lost income and reduced future earning ability
Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional
Vehicle repair or replacement costs
Permanent disability or disfigurement

In some cases, you may also be entitled to punitive damages – additional compensation meant to punish drunk drivers for reckless conduct. Texas law allows these in cases of gross negligence, and drunk driving often meets that threshold.

If a loved one was killed by an impaired driver, your family may also have a wrongful death claim.

Can a bar or restaurant be held responsible after a drunk driving crash?

Yes. In some Texas DUI accident cases, the drunk driver isn’t the only party who can be held financially accountable. Under Texas’s dram shop law (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §2.02), bars, restaurants, and other alcohol-serving businesses can be sued if they overserve a visibly intoxicated person who later causes a crash.

This law exists for a reason. Too many drunk drivers get behind the wheel after being served round after round at bars that look the other way. If a bartender keeps serving someone who’s clearly drunk – slurred speech, stumbling, aggressive behavior – that bar may be partially liable when the driver causes a crash.

To build a strong dram shop case, your legal team may investigate:

Surveillance footage from the bar or restaurant
Credit card receipts or tabs showing excessive alcohol purchases
Eyewitness statements from other patrons or servers
Cell phone photos or videos
The driver’s BAC level and timeline after leaving the establishment

Bars and restaurants often deny wrongdoing, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be held responsible. A knowledgeable Texas drunk driving accident lawyer can uncover the truth and help you pursue every possible source of compensation. This is especially important in serious injury cases where the drunk driver’s insurance coverage isn’t enough to cover medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.

Talk to a Houston drunk driving accident lawyer who knows how to win

Drunk drivers don’t just break the law – they destroy lives. If you were hit by a drunk driver in Houston during Memorial Day, July 4th, or Labor Day, don’t wait to take action. The sooner you call, the sooner we can secure evidence, protect your rights, and fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Smith & Hassler has been standing up for victims of serious drunk driving accidents in Houston for over 30 years. We know how to handle DUI cases. We know how to investigate them. And we know how to build a strong case from the ground up.

If you were hit by a drunk driver this summer – or if someone you love was seriously hurt or killed – don’t wait to get legal help. You may be facing medical bills, missed paychecks and long-term complications. You deserve answers. You deserve accountability. And you deserve full compensation for what you’ve been through. Contact us to schedule your free case evaluation. You don’t pay us unless we win.

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