More than 10,000 people lose their lives in drunk driving accidents every year in the United States. This means about 30 people die each day because of a drunk driver.
Most of our Connecticut residents are likely aware of the fact that getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated is against the law. Presently, in Connecticut, and nationally, a driver who presents with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or greater is deemed to be impaired.
Even though laws exists to penalize drunk drivers and the incidence of drunk driving accidents is lower than what it used to be, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 33 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in the U.S. involve a driver who is intoxicated. According to CDC data on states, and alcohol related deaths, nearly 1,039 people in Connecticut lost their lives in car accidents that involved a drunk driver.
Though the number of people killed in drunk driving accidents in Connecticut is lower than the national average, the fact that people still lose their lives due to drunk drivers should be a sobering reminder that no one is immune and such accidents happen despite laws being in place.
Connecticut has implemented the strategy of sobriety checkpoints where police can stop cars specifically to see if the driver is impaired or not. During such stops police may administer a breath test. Nevertheless, despite such noble strategies, individuals who are intoxicated may still get behind the wheel and drive, posing a risk to not only themselves but also others on the roads. Those injured by a drunk driver may want to contact a personal injury attorney for more information on their legal rights.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Sobering facts: Drunk Driving in Connecticut,” Accessed Aug. 17, 2015
