Although the dangers of drinking and driving are well known, the unfortunate reality is that it still occurs. Everyday, individuals fall victim to this negligent decision, suffering serious injuries or losing their life because a driver decided to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming alcohol. While nothing can be done to undo these harms, it is possible for victims and their loved ones to take action through a civil action.
Drunk driving accidents
When considering the preventable deaths that occur each year because of an automobile collision, drunk driving causes a fair amount. Roughly 28 individuals die each day because of drunk driving accidents. Although 2019 recorded the lowest fatality rate due to drunk driving since 1982 when data reporting began, there were still 10,142 deaths that year. This means that drunk driving still remains a problem, as each of these deaths is considered preventable.
Dangers of drunk driving
Although a legal limit is set for drunk driving, researchers have found that any amount of alcohol in a motorists system could impact driving abilities. In other words, even when a motorist is under the legal limit, he or she presents a higher risk for an accident. This is because starting at 0.02 blood alcohol concentration; a driver begins to experience some loss of judgment. This is followed by exaggerated behaviors, loss of small muscle control, impaired judgment and lowered alertness. These are all factors that could lead to negligent or reckless driving, resulting in a serious or fatal collision.
A drunk driving accident does not only present criminal and traffic violations for the motorist, but it also opens up the possibility for a civil action. Victims as well as the loved ones of a deceased victim have the ability to file a personal injury action or wrongful death claim following an automobile crash caused by a drunk driver. This not only helps place liability on the driver but also assists with the recovery of compensation for losses suffered.
