Pablo Luna
According to the National Safety Council, approximately 38,800 people died in car accidents in 2019. This represents a two percent decline from 2018 when 39,404 people died in accidents. This was a four percent decline from 2017. In addition, about 4.4 million people were injured in crashes, which was also about two percent less than in 2018.
Percentage of Alcohol-Related Crashes
In 2018, the last year when statistics were available, there were 10,511 fatalities in which at least one of the drivers involved had a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) over 0.08 percent. This is the legal limit in most states.
According to the United States Department of Transportation’s Alcohol-Impaired Driving report, in 2018, of the 39,404 people who died in car accidents, 29 percent of those accidents involved a person who was legally considered to be over the legal limit.
Age and Vehicle Statistics
There are other statistics related to driving under the influence that indicates where the problem needs to be addressed. These include:
- People 21 to 24 years of age accounted for 27 percent of all drunk driving fatalities
- Motorcycle riders accounted for 25 percent of accidents
- Incidences of driving under the influence when the intoxicated person was driving at night were 3.4 times higher than during the day
- Passenger car drivers accounted for 21 percent of the crashes, compared to 19 percent in light trucks and 3 percent in large trucks
Extreme Impairment
Although there were a significant number of drivers who had a BAC of over 8 percent, there were even more unsettling statistics in 2018. That year, 67 percent of the drivers who caused fatal accidents had a BAC of 0.15 or higher. This indicates that people are getting behind the wheel when they are clearly intoxicated, not when they have had one or two drinks at dinner.
It is also important to note that alcohol-impaired fatalities decreased by 3.6 percent from 2017. In addition, from 2009 to 2018, drunk driving fatalities have decreased by 2 percent.
The Economic Impact of Drunk Driving
Statistics indicate that drunk driving accidents cost as much as $44 billion. These costs include lost productivity, legal expenses, emergency medical treatment, insurance administration, and property damage. When quality-of-life valuations are included in the estimates, the economic impact of drunk driving could be as high as $201.1 billion.
Children and Drunk Drivers
It is not only adults who are at risk when someone chooses to get behind the wheel when they have had too much to drink. In 2018, 22 percent of the children who died in automobile accidents were those where at least one driver was intoxicated. Approximately 55 percent were passengers in a vehicle with someone whose BAC was over 0.08, while 31 percent were occupants of other vehicles.
Even if the child is not in a car, they are still at risk. In 2018, 13 percent of accident victims were pedestrians or bicyclists who were struck by drunk drivers.
If you were injured by a drunk driver or a loved one has died of injuries they sustained after a drunk driving accident, you need to talk to a car accident lawyer here who can advise you of your rights. You may be eligible for compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain, and suffering plus more. If someone you love has died, you may be eligible for compensation for lost future wages, loss of consortium, and their funeral and burial expenses.
When filing a claim for a driver’s negligence, some evidence is required. An attorney can review your case and tell you if your evidence is strong enough to pursue a claim.
