Drunk drivers down but not out

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published an overview of impaired driving on its website, and although there seems to be a declining number of drunk drivers on the road, there is still a long way to go.

According to the report, someone in the United States is killed by a drunk driver every 31 minutes, and someone is injured every two minutes. During 2005, 16,885 people died in alcohol-related accidents, which represents 39% of all traffic deaths for that year. Drugs other than alcohol, including marijuana and cocaine, were involved in about 18% of all deaths, usually in combination with alcohol. More than half of the 414 children killed in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents in 2005 were riding with drunk drivers. Each year, alcohol-related deaths costs about $51 billion in the U.S.

But the states are actively fighting these numbers, and in recent years have instituted a number of measures to counteract drunk driving. Between 1999 and 2005, the number of states with Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) laws of .08% went from just 16 states and D.C. to all fifty states. Sobriety checkpoints and mandatory license suspension for those convicted of drunk driving have also helped reduced the number of impaired drivers on the road. The “Gold Standard” also includes zero tolerance for those under the age of 21, mandatory substance abuse programs for those convicted, and compulsory blood alcohol testing for accidents that result in injury or death.

Over the past 20 years, the number of fatal alcohol-related car accidents has decreased by 60% for drivers ages 16 to 17 years and 55% for drivers ages 18 to 20 years. Many states have reported an overall drop in alcohol-related fatalities since instituting a 0.08% BAC law – a median amount of 7% lower for all states combined.

Still, with all of these awareness and prevention plans, 1.4 million people were arrested for drunk driving or driving under the influence of narcotics. And even that pales in comparison to the 159 million self-reported episodes of drunk driving. The deadliest holiday period is usually the July 4th holiday – in 2005, there were 280 people killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents that weekend alone.

Government programs can help reduce drunk driving, but ultimately every driver is responsible for his or her actions. If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, contact a personal injury attorney in Jim S. Adler & Associates for a free legal review. We may be able to help you get the money you need to cover your medical bills and lost wages, and the money you deserve to compensate you for your pain and suffering. Contact Jim S. Adler & Associates by phone right now, or fill out the form on this page describing your accident involving a drunk driver to start your free case assessment.

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