Drunk Driving Serious Despite Declines
May 19, 2015
It is encouraging that nationwide DUI statistics are down 2.5% according to the figures for 2012 through 2013. Sadly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that these numbers still indicate that one alcohol influenced driving fatality happens every hour in our country. In 2013, over 10,000 crashes resulted in about 6,500 fatalities due to alcohol influence. The drunk drivers responsible for these car accidents were all over the legal limit of blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a large advocate for enforcing stringent alcohol laws upon drivers who drive under the influence, believe that all drunk driving accidents and fatalities are preventable. MADD is not looking for a cure, but simply want people to be more responsible. The NHTSA revealed that 31% or one-third of all fatal crashes were due to driving under the influence. Occupants in cars accounted for 27% of those fatalities, while the remaining eight percent were non-occupants according to the NHTSA.
Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Statistics are Alarming
Additional statistics are quite alarming. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in Pennsylvania, 4,663 fatalities happened because of drunk drivers. Moreover, drunk driving contributed to 200 deaths of children under the age of 14 in 2013. The greatest percentage of drunk driving offenders were those ages 21 to 24 accounting for 33% of drivers; drivers ages 25 to 34 comprised 29%.
In 2013, 15% of drunk drivers were four times more likely to cause a crash at night than during the day. Costs due to impaired drivers in the United States during 2010 were $45.9 billion. The Federal Bureau of Investigations report there were 1,166,824 driving under the influence of alcohol arrests made in 2013.
Statistics remain staggering even with the many nationwide initiatives put into place to combat drunk driving. Tougher penalties continue to be imposed, while more sobriety checkpoints and law enforcement measures are put into place. Stricter laws requiring seat belt use, installing ignition interlock devices, and greater restrictions on younger drivers will continue to reduce the amount of drunk driving car accident injuries and death.
Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Nerenberg & Associates Advocate for Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia personal injury lawyers at Nerenberg & Associates work hard to get compensation for victims of Pennsylvania drunk driving accidents. Our Philadelphia car accident lawyers serve clients throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania as well as in Bucks County, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Chester County as well as in New Jersey. Call today for a no risk confidential consultation with our highly skilled and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers in Philadelphia at 215-969-9100 or contact us online.