Saturday morning there were two accidents involving fatalities on Houston roadways caused by wrong-way drivers.
Three people died in a wrong-way crash in northwest Harris County on Highway 249 around Hollister just before the Beltway before three this morning. Police say the 40-year-old driver heading in the wrong direction on the road was speeding and are checking to see if alcohol was involved.
In Pasadena a wrong-way driver was heading eastbound in the westbound lanes of Highway 225 near Bearle Street when it hit an oncoming car. Both drivers died.
This is the start of St. Patrick's Day weekend, a holiday that often involves a lot of drinking. An examination of crashes on St. Patrick's Day in 2010 found that 80% of the wrecks involved drivers with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.
Police will have extra patrols out this weekend.