What is the Houston Cocktail and Why should You be Worried?
The “Houston Cocktail” or the “holy trinity” of illegal prescription drug mixes consists of Hydrocodone, Xanax, and Soma. Mixed together, these drugs can give users a heroin-like high that can cause drivers to take reckless chances, make ridiculous decisions behind the wheel, and cause fatal crashes. Our Harris County personal injury lawyers emphasize that Houston is the hub of a growing distribution network for the Houston Cocktail.
Your Safety is Increasingly at Risk on Houston and Harris County Roads
On Houston “no refusal” weekends, blood draws of drivers suspected of being impaired might show that more than 60% of them have drugs in their systems as well as alcohol. And “poly-drugging,” combining more than one drug into a cocktail of illegal and/or prescription drugs, is becoming increasingly common among drivers. Sometimes the drugs are used to mask the presence of alcohol and confuse test results should the drivers get pulled over for suspected DUI.
Cypress Man in Custody had Drug Cocktail in his System at the Time of Catastrophic Injury Accident
Let’s look at an example of what can happen when drivers take multiple drugs then take to he roads: 27-year-old Matthew Glen Scott of Cypress, Texas was found to have a cocktail of 6 prescription drugs in his system at the time of an August wreck that disabled a woman and hospitalized her daughter. Our Harris County personal injury lawyers remark that the drugs included Hydrocodone and Hydromorphone.
Scott swerved from his lane on Spring Cypress and struck a Ford containing a woman with her daughter. The woman and her daughter, who was riding in the back seat, were hospitalized. The woman was still hospitalized at the end of October. She had a broken vertebra, ribs, pelvis, wrist, right leg, foot, and hip.
By the end of October, the woman had already undergone 13 surgeries because of the wreck. She had to have her hip replaced and her back in a brace. If you drive in southeast Texas, you might be relived to know that Matthew Glen Scott remains off the streets in jail without bail. Our Harris County personal injury lawyers note that Scott has been charged with intoxication assault. (Source: Erin Mulvaney, Houston Chronicle, 1/3/13)
Read about Another Drug-Impaired Driver whose Loss of Vehicle Control while Under the Influence Killed a Man Yesterday in Harris County
Click on this article by our Harris County personal injury lawyers to read about the fatal chain reaction wreck on Highway 6 started by Mytreka Nyshell Ealem’s loss of vehicle control.
Contact us today at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form for a free legal consultation if you need to learn how to hold a drugged driver accountable for causing your accident injuries.
2012 has been a Deadly Year with a High Number of TX Road Fatalities
After several straight years of consistent declines in the number of U.S. traffic fatalities, the number of fatal accidents is soaring again in 2012. And authorities are trying to figure out why. Some are pointing at unseasonably warm weather leading to more travel in the winter months that usually see a traffic slowdown. There were an estimated 7,630 U.S. road fatalities just in the first quarter of 2012 up from 6,720 in 2011. The first quarter of the year usually sees the lowest number of U.S. traffic deaths.
2012’s Sharp Rise in Auston, Texas Traffic Fatalities
Our Houston personal injury attorneys point out that Texas generally has clearer, travel-ready roads pretty much all year round, and yet our state has seen a frightening increase in fatal accidents just like the rest of the nation. Just a few days ago, KTRK reported that Police Chief Art Acevedo in Austin, Texas was working on solutions after the state’s capital saw the highest number of roadway fatalities since 2000.
Chief Acevedo pointed to alcohol as a factor in fully 40% of the traffic deaths. Chief Acevedo said he was considering putting more police officers on traffic enforcement and working more closely with neighboring counties’ law enforcement departments on safety. (Source: KTRK, abc13.com, 12/28/12)
Montgomery County’s Large Number of 2012 Christmas Week Fatal Accidents
Our Houston personal injury attorneys emphasize that the week spanning Christmas through New Year’s usually sees more traffic enforcement efforts, with “no refusal” policies in effect to boost safety during a time when more folks are out celebrating and then getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.
But despite increased enforcement efforts, Conroe Today on December 27th reported that Montgomery County had also seen one of its deadliest holiday weeks in a long time. By the 27th, there had already been three tragic deaths on Montgomery County roads. Alcohol was beloved to be a factor in two of them, and texting while driving was the cause of the other wreck.
Have you been Injured in a Wreck because a Distracted Driver was Texting while Driving? Contact the Experienced Houston Personal Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a Free Legal Consultation to Discuss Your Case
Cell phone records and the “black box” inside a vehicle both record the time at which events happen. When there’s a sudden wreck, the black box on a driver’s vehicle will save detailed data on the seconds just prior to a crash. The cell phone records the times at which calls are made and texts are sent. If the time that a text was sent correlates closely with the time that a driver strikes you, this evidence could help you obtain just financial compensation for your needless injuries from the wreck.
Contact the Houston personal injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC. We could help you obtain the evidence you need to prove your accident claim. We offer a free initial legal consultation to discuss and evaluate your case. And you have no obligation to hire an attorney. Contact us today to begin your FREE consultation. Call 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form. Get the help you need now. We’ll be happy to speak with you and answer your questions after a serious injury has changed your life.
Prepare to be Shocked by Texas Fatal DUI Accident Statistics
Texas leads the nation in alcohol-related traffic crashes. And our Houston auto accident lawyers have pointed out before that the Houston area communities of Harris County lead the state of Texas in alcohol-related deaths. Our neighboring Montgomery and Liberty Counties also have high numbers of fatal DUI accidents for their size.
Maybe someone should examine what it is about life in Texas and in the Houston area in particular that makes folks want to drink and drive. Or just drink.
Everyone knows that drinking and driving can be fatal. And it’s not just the risk of crashing your own vehicle that could kill you. Let’s not forget the recent incident in Alvin, Texas where a driver crashed into the back of a vehicle being pushed by a dad and his two young boys, fatally injuring all three of them. Someone then shot that driver in the head execution style while he was still inside his vehicle.
The Sobering Total on Texas DUI Fatalities in 2011
TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) data shows that there were 1,523 fatal accidents in Texas in 2011. 502 of those fatal wrecks were alcohol-related. Those 502 fatal DUI accidents killed 570 people. That’s a full third of Texas traffic fatalities. The DUI wrecks also seriously injured 3,869 people and caused other injuries in an additional 1,941 victims.
Texas DUI Fatality Numbers Spike during the Holidays
Alcohol reduces our inhibitions and our level of caution, often precipitously. Studies show that just a little alcohol reduces your ability to make rational decisions. By drinking, you become less capable of making the wise decision to not get behind the wheel turning your vehicle into a deadly weapon.
Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that few people are willing to risk tangling with an unpredictable drunk to prevent them from drinking and driving. This is true even where potential liability exists on the part of the alcohol server if that person crashes.
In 2011, Texas saw the largest number of fatal DUI accidents on the July 4th weekend, with 36 wrecks causing 47 deaths. Memorial Day presents the second highest number of fatal crashes with 33 that killed 37 people. New Year’s was next with 30 and 32, followed by Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and Christmas. You can see a complete breakdown on the fatal accident numbers in the table linked to this post. Our scan of recent news articles indicates that 2012 has already surpassed last year’s Christmas and New Year’s DUI death toll.
We Can’t Say It Enough: Don’t Drink and Drive
Seriously: our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that the life you save could be your own. It makes no sense to celebrate the New Year on New Year’s Eve and then miss out on the New Year itself because you crashed.
Learn More about the Fatal Texas DUI Accident Spike during the 2012 Holiday Period
Click on this article by our Houston auto accident lawyers to learn about the spikes in DUI accident fatalities throughout the state.
If you’re injured in a holiday accident, don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE, no obligation legal consultation to discuss and evaluate your case. We’re available at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form.
Texting and Driving wastes Teen Lives: Texas A&M Student dies in Crash
Chandler Renee Small, 19, a student at Texas A&M University, lost her life in a catastrophic rollover wreck around 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning on Texas 30. She was reportedly texting while driving a 2010 Ford F-250 pickup truck at a high rate of speed. Distracted from the road, she veered off of Texas 30 and the Ford F-250 pickup rolled over several times. Chandler Renee Small was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the tragic rollover wreck northeast of Grimes County Road 228.
Ms. Small died at the scene of the catastrophic rollover wreck. (Source: Dale Lezon, Houston Chronicle, 12/20/12) This teen student’s potential and promise will now never be realized, and a group of family and friends is now mourning when others are celebrating the holiday season.
Contact the Houston Personal Injury Lawyers at Denena Points, PC to report Injuries from a Distracted Driving Crash
At Denena Points, PC, we make an ongoing effort to help state and local authorities improve traffic safety for everyone. As part of that effort, we ask that you contact us to report serious accidents and injuries linked to distracted driving. We can be reached at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form. Thank you.
Fatal Folly: Fingers Fumbling with Phones when They should be on the Wheel
Ms. Small’s needless, tragic death is just one more example of the fatal toll that texting while driving takes on teen lives. The U.S. NHTSA says that in 2008, 34,017 fatal vehicle crashes occurred accounting for a total of 37,261 deaths. Distracted driving, including texting while driving, caused 5,870 deaths: that is approximately 1 out of every 6 fatalities. Our Houston personal injury lawyers point out that drivers under the age of 20 years died in these distracted driving accidents more often than older drivers.
More recently in 2010, data indicates that 3,092 people died in distracted driving accidents. 416,000 people were injured in these crashes. The Houston personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC note that fully 18% of those motor vehicle accident injuries in 2010 were linked to distracted driving.
Some Important Research Facts about Distracted Driving
- Your crash risk is three times greater than normal if you are dialing a cell phone while driving.
- Truckers in one study experienced a crash and near-crash risk increased by 23 times when they were text messaging.
- 19% of drivers under 20 who were killed in fatal crashes were using their cell phones at the time of the accident.
- Texting takes a driver’s attention away from the road more often and for longer periods of time than many other types of distraction.
Don’t let Your Teen’s Last Words be a Text Message
Don’t let a unique, precious life be lost over a text message; educate your teens about distracted driving risks. Our Houston personal injury lawyers caution that messaging can always wait until a driver is not behind the wheel.
Drive safely. Pay attention to the road. Don’t text while driving. Avoid distractions that take your attention away from the complex task of driving. And if temporary distraction can’t be avoided, reduce your speed. The life you save could be your own.
Running Risks of Fatal Rollover Wrecks and Losing at Houston Intersections
Continued from Part 1. Research shows that over the last decade, the rate of fatal accidents at stoplights increased about 20%. For comparison, that rate of fatal crashes in general increased by only 6%. A large percentage of the 20% increase has been attributed to red light runners.
An increasing perscnetage of the drivers that hit innocent victims are uninsured or underinsured. So what do you do? Watch our video to learn how to cope with a wreck caused by an uninsured motorist.
The Houston personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC emphasize that collisions caused by drivers running red lights are more likely than other collisions to cause fatal injuries. Those crashes have a 47% fatality rate compared to a 33% fatality rate for other crashes. This has led to heavy-handed enforcement programs like the red light cameras that annoy just about everyone.
Speeding and DWI cause many Intersection Crashes due to Failure to Stop
Speeding and driving while intoxicated are behind many of the intersection crashes caused by drivers who failed to stop. And our Houston personal injury lawyers note that photo enforcement doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on these drivers.
In vehicles with speeding or drunk drivers, the occupants are also more likely to not be wearing seatbelts. In a high-speed rollover crash, these drivers and passengers can be ejected from the vehicles. And vehicle ejection in a crash results in death about 75% of the time.
Don’t run Fatal Risks: You Might Lose
Running a red light or a stop sign is not a risk worth taking. And compounding the risk by not wearing seatbelts only increases the likelihood of sudden death.
Don’t run fatal risks at intersections. The life you lose in that gamble could be your own. Our Houston personal injury lawyers urge you to educate your family members about the dangers of running through stops. Keep your family safe and together for the holidays. Always drive safely.
Driver Ran Fatal Risk Running through Intersection: 3 Dead, 2 Injured in Houston Rollover Collision early Saturday
Failure to stop at an intersection led to three needless deaths in a tragic, multiple fatality accident early on Saturday just before 4:30 a.m. The young driver of a green Mercury Mountaineer ran a fatal risk when he failed to stop at the intersection of North Houston Rosslyn Road and Romona and slammed into a gray Nissan Quest.
The heavy impact sent the Mercury Mountaineer into a rollover. 3 men in their 20s, the driver and two passengers of the Mercury Mountaineer, died at the scene of the rollover collision. Another passenger and the driver of the Nissan Quest received transport to the hospital for injuries from the collision. News reports did not mention whether the Mountaineer occupants wore seatbelts or whether the driver might have been speeding or intoxicated.
The sympathies of our Houston personal injury lawyers go out to the families of the three men who died in the tragic accident. Our hearts and prayers are with the two injured victims.
Learn More about Rollover Accidents, Why They Happen, and What They do to You
Click on this article by our Houston personal injury lawyers to learn more. And if you have questions or need help because you’ve been injured in one of these accidents, just call 281-369-4363 or contact us online for a completely FREE and confidential legal consultation. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And the counsel our Houston personal injury lawyers provide could be your key to making informed decisions about a better financial future after a catastrophic wreck has changed your life. Call today!
We all Lose when Drivers Run Fatal Risks by Running Red Lights and Running through Intersections without stopping at Stop Signs
Insurance companies that have to pay out on fatal wrecks and collision injuries, almost all of which could have been prevented, understandably keep tabs on when, why, and how accidents occur. The IIHS data indicates that around 1,000 died and 200,000 were injured in recent years because of drivers that took the fatal risk of failing to stop at intersections and lost.
Our Houston personal injury lawyers point out that about 15% of collisions resulting from a driver running a red light result in death or incapacitating injury. More than half of the fatal injuries claim the lives of innocent victims like pedestrians and the occupants of the vehicle struck by the driver that failed to stop.
To learn more about the causes of fatal intersection crashes and the huge rise in the number of fatalities from them, continue to Part 2.
Houston Hit and Run Wreck of Honda by Buick Park Avenue Injures 5
On Friday afternoon just before 2 p.m., a speeding driver in a car described as a green Buick Park Avenue rear-ended a Honda Civic at high speed. The impact occurred on Airline by the North Freeway and sent the Honda out of control. The Honda Civic then slammed into a tree. (Source: KPRC, click2houston.com, 12/14/12)
Five occupants of the Honda struck by the hit and run driver received transport to hospitals for their injuries. One of the injured victims was only 3 years old. The hearts and prayers of our Houston auto accident lawyers are with the injured victims of this terrible hit and run wreck. Reportedly, the driver of the green Buick Park Avenue did not stop to render aid, but instead fled the scene. Houston police are asking for your help if you have any information on this driver.
If you have Information about the Driver that left the Scene of the Hit and Run Wreck on Airline, Report it: Contact us anytime with your Important Information
Do you know the driver of the green Buick Park Avenue that caused the multi-injury Houston hit and run wreck on Friday? If so, report it right away. You can reach our Houston auto accident lawyers at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form anytime. You can reach the Houston Police Department at 713-247-4065. We make ongoing efforts to help accident victims and to help local authorities make our streets a safer place for all. If you have information that could help in these efforts, we ask that you report it right away.
Drivers that Flee Hit and Run Wrecks hurt Everyone
In many cases when an accident occurs, it’s critical that the accident victims receive medical attention as soon as possible. But drivers that flee the scene of the collisions they cause often leave their victims without recourse. Our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that especially at night when it may be some time before another passing driver notices and reports the wreck, the hit and run crime can result in more severe or fatal injuries.
Nationally, NHTSA data reveals that more than 10% of all motor vehicle collisions are listed as hit and run wrecks. That’s approximately 700,000 crashes per year. Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that in Houston, there are hundreds of hit and run crashes of varying severity every month, and only a small percentage of these cases are solved.
Drivers that cause injuries and fatalities in hit and run crashes should compensate their victims for the harm hey have caused. Texas law provides criminal penalties for fleeing the scene of an injury accident. And civil lawsuits provide a means for victims to obtain just financial compensation from those that have harmed them or their family members. When you know about a hit and run injury accident, your important information could help the injured victims obtain justice. Make a difference; report what you know.
Houston Auto Accident Lawyer on Running Fatal Risks Running Red Lights
Drivers that run red lights kill hundreds of people each year and seriously injure tens of thousands. Many of those drivers are drunk when the crashes occur. Our Houston auto accident lawyers note that many of the vehicles running red lights are speeding when the impacts occur at intersections.
For example, on Tuesday night around 10 p.m. a driver ran a red light in Houston at the intersection of the Texas State Route 8 frontage road and JFK Boulevard. A Pontiac Grand Am plowed into the side of a Dodge Avenger. The woman driving the Grand Am ended up in the hospital with serious injuries.
Drivers that run Red Lights Injure more than 100,000 People each Year
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) said that in 2009 almost 700 people died in fatal traffic crashes because of drivers that run red lights. An additional 113,000 people received injuries in these accidents.
IIHS data further shows that when drivers run red lights and cause fatal accidents, 46% of the victims are occupants of the vehicles that the red light runners hit. Only 36% are the red light runners themselves. And our Houston auto accident lawyers emphasize that around 25% of those drivers are driving drunk. 10% of the drivers are teens.
Download our Houston Auto Accident Lawyers’ FREE Accident Book if you’ve been Seriously Injured in a Wreck caused by a Negligent Driver that ran a Red Light
Just click on the book icon on this web page to download your free copy of our informative book. It will give you the information you need to protect your rights and take the necessary steps to obtain fair compensation for your injuries after a serious accident caused by another person’s negligence. And don’t hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation legal consultation if you have questions about your specific injury accident. We’re here to help. Call 281-369-4363 or get in touch through our convenient online contact form.
On DWI Deaths, Safety Snags, Blood Draw Backlogs, and Budgetary Black Holes
Continued from Part 1.
The Texas DPS has been trying to cope with a Larger Number of Blood Samples needing Testing with a Staff that remains the Same Size
Budgetary constraints mean that the Texas DPS has not been able to keep up with the growing workload. Indeed, there’s been a growing backlog of blood samples to be analyzed in recent years. And our Texas accident injury attorneys emphasize that the DPS has added no new forensic lab analysts since 2009. But the Department has stated that it does plan to ask for budgetary allotments to hire more full-time forensic lab analysts for its staff.
The Texas DPS needs the new personnel. In the past three years, the average time for analyzing a blood sample from a DWI suspect has lengthened from an average of 30 days to an average of 60 days. Recently, the DPS has been juggling priorities and shuffling personnel to try and cope with the growing stock of samples for analysis and the resultant backlog. Our Texas accident injury attorneys realize that DWI suspects, their attorneys, and prosecutors all face delay in moving forward with their cases while samples languish waiting to be analyzed.
Texas Budgetary Priorities should be Clear: Your Safety should be a High Priority
The Texas accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC hope that those who make decisions on the Texas budget see the wisdom of granting the DPS request and focusing money and attention on a real priority in the state. The endemic drunken driving problem in Texas has proven resistant to efforts to diminish it. Taking away the ability of state authorities to enforce the law and develop successful cases for prosecution with reliable blood evidence would send the wrong message and send the problem skyrocketing to even more deadly levels.
Even now, around 1,000 people (about one third of all fatal Texas accidents) die each year in Texas from wrecks caused by drunken drivers. More than 10,000 others are injured annually from these DWI crashes. And about 4,000 of these injuries are classified as permanently disabling or catastrophic.
Blood Tests, Budget Cuts, DWI Cases, and Delay at the DPS
You’re probably aware what a threat drunken driving poses to your safety and the safety of your loved ones out on the road. But you may not be aware that drunken driving in Texas has not notably diminished despite widespread educational campaigns, stiffened legal penalties for DWI violations, and the increased use of ignition interlock devices to deter repeat offenses.
Contact Us to Report Your Important Information on DWI Injury Accidents
In our ongoing efforts to help Texas traffic authorities, safety officials, and law enforcement officers enhance road safety and to help accident victims and their families get the help they need, The Texas accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC urge you to contact us with any witness information you have regarding DWI injury accidents.
Every tool is important to Texas authorities in curbing the DWI problem. Your witness information could be important to a DWI case, even if you don’t believe so. Contact our Texas accident injury attorneys and report your information. We’ll help you evaluate that information and get it to where it needs to go. Reach us at 281-369-4363 or through our online contact form. Thank you, and drive safe.
Prosecutors need Blood Evidence When Prosecuting DWI Cases
Our Texas accident injury attorneys point out that DWI defense attorneys are well aware of the weaknesses in the field sobriety tests that used to serve prosecutors intent on demonstrating a defendant’s guilt. DWI defense attorneys are often quite adept at attacking field sobriety tests and destroying their value as evidence in court.
So blood tests that can more accurately demonstrate a suspect’s blood alcohol concentration level have become more popular tools for law enforcement officers in their efforts to get drunken drivers off the roads. Texas “no refusal” operations with personnel and equipment allotted to expedite issuance of warrants and performance of blood draws have become more widespread and more frequent, especially during the holidays. And the numbers of drunken driving arrests are growing.
A Vastly Increased Number of Blood Samples Await Testing at Texas Crime Labs
Texas estimates say that the numbers of blood samples sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) have increased by 500% since about 2006. Part of the reason for the growing use of blood evidence in DWI cases is a 2004 decision from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that said that law enforcement officers could legally draw blood from a DWI suspect so long as they obtained a warrant first. In effect, the decision put to rest some of the ongoing controversy over whether such blood evidence was legal and could be used in court. (Source: Tony Plohetski, The Austin American-Statesman, 12/6/12)
Our Texas accident injury attorneys note that some large cities, like Austin, have their own crime labs to analyze blood samples. But most communities must rely on the statewide Texas DPS to analyze blood samples submitted from DWI suspects.
Continued in Part 2.