DUI Accidents: An (Avoidable) Everyday Tragedy
The entry to the holiday season brings a mix of emotions. Some of us are euphoric at the prospect of seasonal treats and time with family. Others grow depressed as days shorten and the mirth of the season contradicts with internal turmoil. The stresses of planning, purchasing, and preparing ideally culminate in a big blow out, wherein all the effort and resources expended lead to something truly special. However, this isn’t always the case. As many of us are all too painfully aware, over-indulgence can lead to serious consequences. The traditional holiday season of Thanksgiving through New Year’s is also peak season for DUI accidents. Think you’ve had a bad holiday season before? Try spending it hospitalized or incarcerated. Today’s Malloy Law Offices blog post will tackle DUI accidents, their risks, their costs, and the necessity of their prevention.
How Does Alcohol Affect Your Driving?
The influence of alcohol can adversely affect the following:
- Decision Making
- Reaction Time
- Muscle Coordination
- Alertness
- Ability to Remain Conscious
A person’s drunkenness can be measured by the weight of alcohol present in a certain concentration of blood. This is called Blood Alcohol Concentration. At 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter, the risk of a crash increases exponentially. 0.08 BAC is the legal limit for 49 out of 50 US states as well as Puerto Rico. (Utah sets their legal limit even lower, at 0.05 BAC.)
The Human Cost of Drunk Driving
According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) an average of 37 Americans die every day in drunk driving accidents. That works out to a fatality every 39 minutes. According to data from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), 13,524 people in 2022 died in traffic collisions with drivers with an illegal BAC level. A further 2,337 were killed in crashes involving drivers with a BAC between 0.01 and 0.07 BAC. This means drunk driving accounted for roughly 37% of all traffic deaths that year.
These numbers are stark but become more so when we consider how these deaths account for only a fraction of all drunk driving incidents. According to data collected by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) one million arrests for driving under the influence are made each year in the United States, and even that figure does not begin to fully encapsulate the number of Americans who knowingly risk life and limb by driving impaired.
On Prevention
The truly maddening thing about DUI accidents is how preventable they are. In addition to the obvious means of avoiding a potentially impaired drive (which is to say – not drinking) there are a myriad of other options available to the modern reveler. The designated driver system, wherein one member of the group refrains from psychoactive substances to ensure the rest of their party is transported safely, has likely saved incalculable lives and dollars over the years. This is to say nothing of public transportation. A train or a bus after a night on the town provides a safe and economical trip home. Even the host of an event can play a vital role in preventing DUI accidents by ordering a ride or offering an accommodation to an inebriated attendee.
DUI Accidents and the Rideshare Boom
While we recognize that many of our readers will not necessarily have access to the DMV’s strong public transit network, but even if you travel solo and can’t rely on a bus or train to get you home you’ll almost certainly have access to a ridesharing service. Uber and Lyft are a godsend to any of us in need of a ride, and it’s often fairly simple to get a ride even in remote areas. But still people shun this option in favor of negligent, irresponsible law breaking behind the wheel. Oftentimes, these short-sighted individuals will cite the cost of a ride as a deterrent. The costs of a citation for DUI or the costs associated with a car repair or personal injury case so rarely enter the calculus until it’s far too late.
How Malloy Law Can Help
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, Malloy Law can help. Our experienced car accident specialist attorneys will evaluate your case free of charge and plot a path to maximum compensation. Contact Malloy Law today and let’s win your case.
