A New Study on Alcohol Involved Crashes During Fiesta San Antonio


Fiesta San Antonio is nearly here.  An economic, cultural, and tourism boon for San Antonio, the festivities will attract nearly 3.5 million partygoers and contribute over $340 million to the local economy.

However, as with any large scale celebration, people tend to overdo it and make bad choices that impact the health and safety of others.

At the Hill Law Firm, we want everyone to enjoy Fiesta, but make it home safely.  So, with the help of data visualization firm 1Point21 Interactive, we analyzed seven years of Texas Department of Transportation crash data (2012-2018), to identify every alcohol-related car accidents in San Antonio and throughout in Bexar County during each year’s Fiesta.

Over this 84 day period, there were 595 crashes where alcohol was a factor, leading to 348 injuries and 13 deaths.

We found that during Fiesta San Antonio, there was a nearly 20 percent increase in alcohol-related crashes in Bexar County and a 41 percent increase in resulting injuries.

Bexar County averaged 5.88 crashes per day from 2012-2018. During Fiesta San Antonio, the average jumps to 7.08 crashes per day.

[Interactive Map] Alcohol-Related Crashes During Fiesta San Antonio

The map below has every alcohol-involved car crash that has occurred in Bexar County during Fiesta San Antonio from 2012-2018. Larger dots indicate a more serious injury.

*Click or hover over map icons to reveal more information about each crash.  For best mobile experience, rotate device. 

Where do Crashes Occur?

It is important to note that these crashes occur in neighborhoods and areas all over San Antonio and Bexar County.  While the downtown area had a high concentration of crashes (23), the San Antonio International Airport Vicinity had the most, with 43, followed by South Central with 24.

Fiesta Crashes by Neighborhood

When Do Crashes Occur?

Fiesta San Antonio Crashes by Year

Year Alcohol Crashes Total Injuries Deaths Days in Period
2012 90 67 1 11
2013 83 65 2 11
2014 124 75 2 18
2015 60 32 2 11
2016 86 40 1 11
2017 68 41 1 11
2018 84 28 4 11

 

As is typical for alcohol-related crashes in general, crashes and injuries during Fiesta San Antonio peak in the late night, early morning period.

Crashes and Injuries During San Antonio Fiesta

Similarly, both crashes and injuries occur much more frequently on weekends.

Day of Week Alcohol Crashes Total Injuries
Sunday 163 111
Monday 37 17
Tuesday 23 10
Wednesday 34 14
Thursday 78 38
Friday 106 65
Saturday 154 93

Why Did We Perform this Analysis?

As a San Antonio personal injury lawyer, Justin Hill cares deeply about our community and the people in it. At our firm feel that bringing awareness to a problem is the biggest step towards a solution. We want everyone, whether they are a local or a visitor, to enjoy the Fiesta San Antonio celebration – but to do it safely.

If you plan to Fiesta, make sure to follow the safety tips below.

Feista Safety

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