How Frequently Do Intoxicated Truck Drivers Cause Accidents in Texas?
Every day, thousands of commercial truck drivers travel through Texas, especially on the I-35 freeway, which stretches from Minnesota, through Dallas, and into Laredo, TX. While most commercial truck drivers do not drive intoxicated, there are still some who drive under the influence. Unfortunately, even a small number of these accidents can lead to property damage and the loss of lives. In fact, because of their size and weight, commercial trucks are far likelier to cause devastating consequences.
So, how often do drunk truck drivers cause accidents in Texas? Statistics show that Texas leads the nation in truck driving accidents and has one of the highest drunk driving fatality rates in the country. Here is an in-depth look at the issue of drunk truck driving in Texas and the legal complexities that can arise when pursuing cases like these.
Frequency of Drunk Truck Driving in Texas
Unfortunately, Texas ranks high on the list of alcohol-related traffic incidents. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, 37% of traffic fatalities in Texas occurred because the driver was impaired by alcohol or drugs.
When it comes to commercial truck drivers, these accidents can become far more lethal due to the size and weight of the trucks. In 2022, Texas had 38,621 accidents involving commercial trucks, resulting in 716 fatalities. And, although not all of these accidents were caused by drunk truck drivers, impaired driving due to alcohol or drugs was certainly a contributing factor in some of them.
Furthermore, according to FMCSA’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, Texas has the highest truck driver drug and alcohol violations in the nation, with 7,268 reported cases.
These statistics underscore the importance of stringent drug and alcohol testing amongst commercial truck drivers as well as support systems to reduce the number of DUI accidents in Texas.
Liability in Drunk Truck Driver Accidents: Who Is Responsible?
Assigning blame when you have an accident with a drunk truck driver in Texas isn’t always so black and white. Depending on the circumstances, more than one party may be at fault. Here’s a breakdown of the possible parties involved.
The Truck Driver
The truck driver will be held responsible for drinking and driving, especially if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.04% or higher. Texas’s DUI laws consider truck drivers intoxicated when their BAC is half the limit of regular drivers.
The Trucking Company
If the trucking company had lax supervision practices or was negligent in their hiring practices, they may be held partially responsible. For instance, the trucking company may have failed to conduct regular alcohol and drug tests. It may have also hired someone with a history of drinking heavily. Alternatively, the company may have forced the driver to drive for long hours, even after recognizing signs of impairment.
Bars & Alcohol Vendors
Texas’ Dram Shop Laws allow victims of a drunk driving accident to hold bars and alcohol vendors responsible if they serve alcohol to drivers who are clearly intoxicated and about to drive. Enacted in 1987, the law aims at preventing situations where overserving alcohol to a customer can result in personal injuries to others or property damage.
Although a complex case to prove, victims have sued bars or restaurants for overserving alcohol to customers they knew would drive afterward. Most recently, a womman sued Cadot restaurant in Dallas for overserving a customer who later rear-ended her vehicle.
Victim and the Modified Comparative Fault System
If you were partially at fault during the accident, your compensation will be reduced based on the percentage of responsibility. For instance, if a drunk truck driver rear-ended you, but one of your brake lights wasn’t working, you could be considered partially at fault.
A recent example was the deadly multi-vehicle crash on the I-35 in North Austin that killed 5 people and injured 11, on March 13th, 2025, involving a drunk truck driver. While the truck driver, Solomun Weldekeal-Araya, is facing 5 counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle involving serious bodily injury, the company he worked for, ZBN Transport LLC, is also being sued.
ZBN Transport LLC may be partially at fault due to the driver’s previous violations. According to reports, “Texas DPS looked at the driver’s Hours of Service (HOS) logs, noting several violations during the prior week.” The driver also had “prior hazardous moving violations while operating commercial vehicles.”
How Insurance Works in Drunk Truck Driving Cases
When you’re involved in an accident with a drunk driver in Texas, insurance plays a crucial role. However, the process can be complex, which is why it’s a good idea to hire a truck accident attorney. Here are some insurance basics to know.
Trucking Company Insurance
Commercial trucking companies carry a higher liability insurance than regular vehicles, with a minimum starting at $750,000. When a drunk truck driver is involved, though, the process of insurance payout becomes more complicated.
Most trucking company policies cover accidents caused by their drivers. However, in a drunk-driving case, the insurer may deny coverage, stating that driving drunk was an intentional act rather than one of negligence. If the trucking company’s insurance company denies coverage, the trucking company may be forced to pay for any damages out of pocket.
Truck Driver As an Independent Contractor
If the truck driver is an independent contractor, their personal commercial auto insurance policy would cover the damages. Still, if the trucking company was shown to be negligent when hiring the driver or overlooked past violations, the trucking company’s insurance may have to pay for part of the damages.
Bar or Alcohol Vendor
In some cases, the bar or alcohol vendor may have to pay compensation through their liquor liability insurance. While these cases can be difficult to prove, that hasn’t stopped victims from suing bars or restaurants after a drunk-driving accident.
If the insurance company denies your claim, you may want to hire a truck crash lawyer to ensure you receive fair compensation.
Potential Impact on Your Liability
While a drunk truck driver in an accident will bear most, if not all, of the responsibility, things aren’t always so black and white. Here’s a breakdown of who could be liable.
The Drunk Truck Driver
Since Texas law holds commercial drivers to a higher standard than regular drivers, a drunk truck driver will probably be primarily at fault for the accident. The truck driver’s insurance company or the truck driver’s commercial auto insurance company will have to pay for the victim’s:
• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
Your Potential Liability
Texas law will only let you collect compensation for full damages if you were less than 51% at fault for the accident. However, there are circumstances where that percentage could drop. Say, for instance, you were distracted while driving, you were speeding, or you made an unsafe lane change; you may be considered partially at fault. Your compensation would then be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you were to receive $100,000 in damages but were 10% at fault, you would receive $90,000. It’s important to note that if you were more than 51% at fault, you would not receive any damages, even if the truck driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Getting into a car accident can be scary and overwhelming, but the stakes are even higher if the other vehicle is a commercial truck. To help you navigate the complicated process of who is at fault and whose insurance should pay, it’s a good idea to hire a truck crash attorney. A commercial truck accident attorney can help with the following:
Investigating the Case
An experienced commercial truck accident lawyer typically has a team of legal assistants to help investigate the details of a case. They will return to the scene of the accident to uncover evidence or identify factors that could strengthen your claim.
Gathering Evidence
A commercial vehicle lawyer will also gather lots of evidence. This evidence includes:
• The police report: The police report documents the driver’s BAC level as well as their inspection of both vehicles. In the case of the March 13th multi-vehicle crash on the I-35, the Austin Police Department inspected the truck and “did not find any braking issues or vehicle defects that could have contributed to the crash.”
• Witnesses: A commercial vehicle attorney can hire a team to find and interview witnesses who were at the scene before, during, and after the accident. Witnesses may have seen the truck driver fail the sobriety test, for instance.
• Video footage: Traffic footage or security cameras from nearby businesses can help determine exactly how the accident occurred.
• Truck driver’s history: The police report may have some of the truck driver’s history, but a more thorough investigation can reveal past violations.
• Truck company’s records: Records can show if the company was negligent in hiring or ignored safety regulations.
Find All Liable Parties
If you are the victim of an accident with a drunk truck driver, you may not be in a position to take off from work to find all liable parties. However, when you hire a truck accident lawyer, you’ll have access to a team that can find every business or person who was partially responsible for the accident, such as a bar or the trucking company. By identifying all liable parties, a truck accident attorney can increase the amount of compensation you receive.
Communicating With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies will always try to minimize payouts. In some cases, they may even try to deny claims completely. However, when you hire a truck crash lawyer, you’ll get a legal professional who will fight for your interests. They’ll argue your case aggressively so you get a fair settlement, ensure you don’t accept a lowball offer, and fight back if the insurance company tries to blame you for the accident.
Determine The Exact Value of Your Claim
Commercial truck accident attorneys often have years of experience handling truck accident cases, which means they understand exactly what fair compensation looks like. A skilled truck crash attorney will factor both short-term and long-term costs into your claim, such as:
• Medical expenses for current and future treatments
• Any lost wages as a result of the accident
• Vehicle damage
• Pain and suffering as a result of the accident
Argue the Case in Court
Truck driving accident cases seldom go to court, but if you feel you have not been offered a fair settlement, you may decide that going to court is your only option. An experienced commercial truck accident lawyer can argue your case by presenting strong evidence, calling credible witnesses, and making persuasive arguments.
If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk truck driver, consult a commercial truck accident lawyer immediately.