Why does drunk driving increase during the winter?
Woman Leads Police Chase Across Counties, Assaults Officer While Driving With an Open Container
According to a KSAT News report, a woman was arrested with multiple charges after leading officers on a traffic chase.
Police reported the incident happened at around 2 p.m. on November 14, 2024, and started on I-35 in New Braunfels and ended in a North Side shopping center 30 miles away. A woman, later identified as 37-year-old Audrey Schneider, led police on a low-speed chase through the parking lot of the Quarry shopping center on the North Side of San Antonio. She struck multiple vehicles, including a patrol car, before running into a salon. She was soon caught and arrested for driving intoxicated, evading arrest, and assaulting a peace officer. KSAT recently reported that this is not Schneider’s first incident, as she was charged with obstructing a highway while intoxicated in 2017. She remains in Bexar County Jail on multiple charges.
Did You Know?
25.45% of car accident fatalities in Texas in 2023 involved at least one drunk driver.
Why Does Drunk Driving Increase During the Winter?
Drunk driving has plagued Texas for decades but gets particularly bad during the winter months. Why is that?
While anyone can be affected by drunk driving at any time, certain factors in the wintertime make it much more likely to encounter a drunk driver. Let’s take a look at what those are and how to defend against drunk driving yourself.
Factors That Contribute to Drunk Driving in the Wintertime
There are many factors that all come together for a perfect storm that increase the likelihood of drunk driving, including:
- Holidays — The holiday season comes with holiday parties, which come with heavy drinking. There is also increased societal pressure to drink during these parties and dinners.
- Early Darkness — The early sunsets can lead to people drinking earlier than normal. This leads to more alcohol consumption than during the rest of the year for many people.
- Mental Health Issues — Seasonal depression and anxiety increase during the winter. These conditions can lead people to drink more heavily or start drinking if they don’t normally.
- Increased Stress — Financial strain from holiday overspending and the overall business at the end of the year/beginning of a new year increases stress, which often leads people to drink.
- Boredom — Spending more time indoors can lead to “cabin fever” and extreme boredom, which can lead people to drink.
How to Avoid Drunk Driving During the Winter
You can’t control the actions of other people, but you can decide to avoid drunk driving during these cold winter days.
1. Make the Decision Now, Not After You Drink
Once you drink any amount of alcohol, your decision-making is affected. You can’t decide if you’re okay to drive after you drink — it’s already too late. Make the choice before you go that you will either not drink or you will get a ride if you decide to drink.
2. Focus on Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress
Alcohol is a temporary solution to stress that leaves you feeling worse afterward. Instead, try healthy stress-reduction techniques like self-care and engaging in hobbies regularly.
3. Get Help for Mental Health Issues
Seasonal depression and anxiety can make you feel embarrassed to reach out for help. We all struggle from time to time, and there are professionals out there who specialize in these very conditions because they are so common. So, don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. Alcohol only makes your problems worse, and there are people out there who care and want to help you.
(Pro Tip: Gratitude and generosity are proven to help combat feelings of seasonal depression and anxiety! Try gratitude journaling or donate to a relief fund for the California wildfires for a quick mental health boost.)
See also:
3 Ways to Avoid Drunk Driving During the Holiday Season
Injured by a Drunk Driver in Texas? Call Shaw!
You can do everything right and still be injured by a drunk driver. When that happens, call Shaw.
If you were injured by a drunk driver in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Medical Bills,
- Surgeries,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Trauma/PTSD,
- Missed Work,
- Wrongful Death,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 for a free, no-obligation case evaluation today. Carabin Shaw has been a trusted name across Texas for over 32 years because we put our clients first.
We look forward to serving you.