When it comes to drinking and driving, there are quite a few sobering facts you need to keep in mind. In the United States, there is one death every 50 minutes from an alcohol-related crash, and more than 1 million drivers are arrested every year for driving under the influence. These numbers are not dropping. According to the National Health Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of traffic accident fatalities related to alcohol has tended to remain fairly steady over several years.
In many cases, impaired drivers have had far more than one drink. Studies have shown that up to 84% of impaired drivers have almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in their blood. Just reading these facts is enough to make a person wary of everyone on the road, but you should not have to live your life in fear. Awareness, good safety habits, and access to a good personal injury attorney can mean all the difference, even if you are injured in an accident with a drunk driver in Kansas or Missouri.
Why Do People Drink and Drive?
The biggest reason people make the mistake of drinking and driving? They are intoxicated enough to misjudge their ability to safely operate a vehicle. Alcohol can cause a false sense of ability and confidence, and many times people vastly underestimate how intoxicated they are. Once alcohol enters the bloodstream a person can start to feel the effects in as little as ten minutes, and even at legal levels, alcohol can cause impaired motor function and unclear judgment. Despite what you may have heard or read, things like coffee, a cold shower, or exercise cannot help a person get sober. Only the passing of time will do that.
A Drunk Driver Injured Me: What Next? Drunk Driving Injuries are Often Severe
If you are in an accident involving an impaired driver, chances are you have been hurt, and it would be to your benefit to contact a reputable attorney to help you with your situation. Drunk driving accidents can cause harm to almost any part of your body, but the spinal cord, legs, neck, and brain may be the most vulnerable. Many of these instances of injury can cause long-lasting damage, and some symptoms will not appear right away. There are usually large medical bills involved, and you may also have a loss of property and time away from work on top of it. Do not let someone else’s bad judgment ruin the rest of your life.
I Was Injured by an Impaired Driver: What Should I Do?
An impaired driving accident with injuries can be quite serious, and you need a knowledgeable personal injury attorney on your side to represent you fully and help you get the compensation and help you require in such a difficult time. If you have been a victim of a DUI collision, please contact the drunk driving accident attorneys at Griggs Injury Law. We can help you pursue the compensation to which you are entitled.
