Houston, TX Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Michael Hassler Discusses College Football Season Driving Safety
Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 09, 2013 -- In the wake of recent news revealing a link between Texas football games and fatal drunk driving accidents, Michael Smith, a drunk driving attorney with Smith & Hassler in Houston, said that he firmly stands behind the state’s latest efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.
“In Houston and throughout the Lone Star State, football games are a major social event. Here in Houston, a Texans game at Reliant Stadium can draw close to 70,000 fans and some stadiums across the state, such as Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, can hold thousands more,” said Smith. “However, when a spectator has too much to drink while tailgating or inside the stadium, it’s possible for a very serious car accident to occur.”
A press release on the Texas Department of Transportation website (“TxDOT Tackles Impaired Driving During Football Season,” Oct. 24, 2013) outlined a new effort to combat drunk driving at football games across the state that includes a football shaped “Fan Van” and prizes for spectators who pledge to not drink and drive this football season.
According to TxDOT, more than 1,600 crashes occurred while Texas football teams were playing last year and alcohol-related car accident fatalities increased 27 percent – from 45 deaths in 2011 to 57 deaths in 2012 – on days when Texas football teams were playing.
To combat this trend, the TxDOT said the new “Fan Van” is designed to educate spectators about the repercussions of drinking and driving. Fans who pledge not to drive under the influence of alcohol this season will have a chance to win a donated “Man Cave” featuring a 60-inch flat-screen television and home theater system or one of four Best Buy gift cards worth $500.
The TxDOT said that the “Fan Van” will make stops at football games throughout the state nearly every weekend of the football season, including games at Lincoln Financial Field in Dallas, Jones AT&T stadium in Lubbock, San Antonio’s Alamodome, and Kyle Field in Lubbock. On Nov. 24, the “Fan Van” will stop in Houston for the Houston Texans home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“The dangers of drinking and driving are well-known,” said Smith, a drunk driving accident lawyer in Houston. “However, at a football game, it’s easy to get lost in the excitement and have too much to drink. Accident statistics don’t lie. Our firm stands behind the efforts of the Texas DOT to remind spectators that driving under the influence has serious consequences.”
“Drunk driving is illegal,” Smith added. “Not only are drunk drivers more likely to injure or even kill their fellow football fans or innocent drivers trying to get home from the game, they could also find themselves serving a lengthy prison sentence for their reckless decisions.”
In addition, Smith said that those who have been injured or lost a loved one while leaving a Texas football game have legal rights and could be entitled to compensation. For more information about what to do after a drunk driving accident in Texas and the legal options available to injury victims, call (877) 777-1529 or go to: http://www.smithandhassler.com/contact
About Smith & Hassler
Smith & Hassler is a Houston-based personal injury law firm that handles a variety of cases involving negligence, including car accidents, truck accidents, property accidents, workplace accidents and more. Founded in 1989 by copartners Michael Smith and Albert M. Hassler III, Smith & Hassler is committed to helping injury victims obtain the compensation they need to make a meaningful difference in the quality of their lives. Smith & Hassler work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing if you don’t win.
Smith & Hassler
1445 North Loop West, Suite 700
Houston, Texas 77008
http://www.smithandhassler.com/
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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