Between 25% and 30% of all Americans will be in a crash which has some element of alcohol involvement at some point in their life. 2012 statistics showed that almost a third of all auto fatalities involved alcohol, prompting all fifty states to now make it illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. Drunk drivers cause more fatal crashes at night—almost four times as many—than in the daytime.
Even more startling is that intoxicated drivers who were involved in a fatal car collision were found to be seven times as likely to have a prior DUI conviction. The reality is that no one should ever get behind the wheel of a car when impaired from drugs or alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, even though laws across the nation have gotten increasingly strict regarding driving under the influence, there are still over 12,000 people each year who die in fatal car collisions involving alcohol.
Avoiding Driving Under the Influence
Auto accidents caused by drunk drivers can be largely prevented by designating a driver who will not drink to drive everyone home or by those who have had even a couple of drinks simply calling a cab to be on the safe side. While raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 did lower the fatalities from drunk drivers some, there are still many young people who illegally drink then get behind the wheel, endangering the lives of their passengers and other drivers.
Further Reading: Car Accidents Caused by Road Debris
Other Preventable Causes of Fatal Auto Accidents
Alcohol consumption is certainly a preventable cause of fatalities on the road, yet there are other equally preventable behaviors which are responsible for thousands of deaths each and every year. Cell phone use is a highly controversial issue across the United States with some states, or at least certain counties with the state mandating a no-cell phone use law. Obviously this includes texting as well, which has been responsible for a significant number of preventable fatalities.
Contact Our Pueblo Car Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a drunk driver, contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your options. It is likely you suffered serious injuries which created significant medical bills and may have had to miss a considerable amount of work as well. For these and other damages, your attorney will negotiate a fair settlement, or, if necessary, take the case to trial. Call Pueblo attorneys at Smith & Smith, today for a FREE CONSULTATION – (719) 544-0062.
