We here in Dallas-Fort Worth have some of the most dangerous roads in the U.S.
This weekend, the news media reported three deadly crashes from Friday night through Saturday night which highlight the constant dangers from bad drivers:
1. East Fort Worth: Two children, six years and 11-months-old, tragically lost their lives Saturday night on East Loop 820 at Craig Street when a speeding pickup truck hydroplaned on the highway and hit their car.
2. South Dallas: A man driving while intoxicated failed to yield the right of way and crashed into another car on East Ledbetter Drive on Saturday at midnight, taking the life of his 23-year-old passenger. The driver was arrested for intoxication manslaughter.
3. East Dallas: A woman walking on Garland Road near East Northwest Highway was struck and killed by a driver who hit-and-ran on Friday night. The driver was found only because her license plate fell off at impact.
Fatal car and truck wrecks are constant here. In Dallas on Wednesday night, a speeding driver in a Porsche 911 sports car lost control, hit another car, and flew off the ramp. He and his passenger flipped and landed below on Central Expressway, killing both. Today, former Dallas Cowboy Josh Brent will testify in the case filed against the bar accused of over-serving him before he was in a crash that killed his teammate and best friend.
We at Berenson Injury Law send our sincerest condolences to the families.
What we can do to reduce car wreck deaths in North Texas
Day after day, year after year, we read about these horrible crashes as if they were inevitable and that there is nothing we can do to save precious human lives. There is.
Here are some of the top ways we could make our highways and roads safer:
- Reduce DWI’s. Texas is the worst state in the country for drunk driving deaths. We should cut the blood alcohol limit from .08% to .05%. Crack down on bars like the one that is accused over over-serving the former Dallas Cowboy, as well as restaurants and convenience stores – especially in well-known bar areas. Increase police department and district attorney budgets for enforcing our laws and lessen the reliance on probation. File civil lawsuits for damages and take away the driver’s licenses and registration for drunk drivers, especially repeat offenders. Support Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
- Make all cell phone use while driving illegal. Software is already installed on most cell phones that would prohibit this. Distracted driving is one of the leading cause of car wrecks.
- Have more police monitor our roads and pull over speeding and reckless drivers before they crash into other vehicles. Going to a meeting in Dallas last week, Mr. Berenson spotted at least three police cars doing that. We need more.
Any serious car accident, and obviously one involving the death of a loved one, is devastating. In the blink of an eye, someone’s life or the life of his or her family member or friend can be taken away.
Our law firm only handles car and truck crash cases. We provide compassionate, skilled legal representation to the families of the deceased and to those who have been injured.