Keeping New Jersey Drivers Informed About Impaired Driving

On average, one person dies in an accident caused by an impaired driver every 51 minutes. This translated to 10,322 people dying in 2012 in impaired driving accidents, which was 31 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the United States. In addition to the human cost, these accidents cost $59 billion annually. In 2010, 1.4 million people were taken into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol.

However, there were 112 million self-reported incidents of drunk driving in that same year. Marijuana and cocaine were also found in 18 percent of drivers who died in an accident while impaired. In many cases, these substances were found in addition to alcohol in those drivers’ systems. Younger people are typically more likely to get into a crash while impaired.

Research has shown this to be true regardless of that driver’s blood alcohol content. Drivers who have previously been convicted of a DWI are seven times more likely to be involved in an accident when their BAC is .08 percent or higher. Motorcyclists are also more likely to be in an alcohol related crash, and riders between the ages of 40-44 have the highest risk among motorcycle riders.

Those who are involved in a drunk driving accident may wish to contact a personal injury attorney. An attorney may be able to win compensation to help an injured victim recover from head, neck or any other injuries suffered in the crash. Compensation may be used to pay medical bills, make up for lost wages or help pay long-term care costs if necessary. An attorney may be able to help resolve the case outside of court, which may lead to a favorable outcome in less time.