Why Drunk Driving Accidents Are Preventable Tragedies
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 28 people die from drunk driving accidents in the US every day. This means that someone dies from drunk driving every 53 minutes. For those that survive these accidents, their lives can be ruined.It is a proven fact that alcohol can impair the ability to drive. According to the CDC, drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent (which is considered legally drunk) experience impaired concentration, short-term memory loss, lack of speed control, reduced information processing capabilities and poor muscle coordination. Drivers with a BAC of .15 percent (about seven alcoholic drinks) can experience a major loss of balance, extremely poor muscle control and vomiting.Your BAC can be affected by several different factors, such as your age, gender, weight, metabolism, rate of consumption and drink of choice. In other words, it is very difficult to know how many drinks it will take before you become legally drunk. This is one of the major reasons why anti-drunk driving campaigns place an importance on a designated driver. Remember, a designated driver should not drink anything and should be selected beforehand. You also have the option of calling a cab. Lufkin has three major cab companies, and some are open 24/7.There are no excuses for drunk driving. Our bodies are physiologically incapable of operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol and other options for transportation exist. The possible consequences of drunk driving are horrific, not just for those injured or killed, but their families as well.
Drunk Driving Accidents Don’t Always Kill People
Aside from the fact that people can lose their lives in drunk driving accidents, others can have their lives ruined if they survive.Former college student Jacqui Saburido’s story has been shared at high schools around the world. In 1999, Jacqui was visiting Austin during a break from college in Venezuela. On the night of September 19th, she and two friends were driving back from a party when they were hit by a drunk driver, who was also leaving a party. Although Jacqui’s two friends died during the crash, she became pinned to her seat. The car caught fire, but she was unable to escape.Medics arrived on the scene and were able to free her from the vehicle, but she was badly burned. Jacqui suffered third-degree burns that covered 60 percent of her body. This young woman had her future taken away because someone made the decision to drive drunk.Survivors can also suffer from brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones or other disabling injuries. Also consider that drunk drivers can receive more charges than just a DUI. Drunk drivers can be charged with vehicular manslaughter, intoxication manslaughter or vehicular assault. In the case of Jacqui Saburido, the man who crashed into her vehicle spent seven years in prison and paid a $20,000 fine. There is also a significant possibility that survivors or their family members will file civil lawsuits to recover damages. In many ways, both drunk drivers and those they hit have their lives ruined.The Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC can help the victims of drunk driving accidents and their families hold impaired drivers accountable.