In Marietta and across the beautiful state of Georgia, it’s very common for people to work very hard during the day, and then to drink alcohol in the evenings and weekends. For many Cobb County residents, it’s almost a “way of life.” Of course, this isn’t just going on in Marietta, it’s going on in Florida and every other state for that matter – even in the many “dry” counties.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 28 people die in the United States every single day due to drunk driving – that’s one death every 53 minutes to be exact. In the last 30 years, drunk driving fatalities have decreased by one-third fortunately; however, we still have way too many drunk driving crashes.
In fact, the NHTSA says, “the chance of being in an alcohol-impaired crash is still one in three over the course of a lifetime.” So, if you were recently injured in a drunk driving wreck, the odds were not on your side that day.
Drunk driving facts released by the NHTSA:
- In 2015, 10,265 people were killed in an alcohol-impaired crash.
- In 2014, nearly 1,800 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes involving a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that was below the .08% legal limit.
- Mixing alcohol with legal or illegal drugs can make driving riskier.
- About one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S. involve drivers with a BAC of .08% or higher.
Drunk Driving is a Crime in All States
As you probably already know, drunk driving is against the law in all states. While you are aware that a drunk driver can be fined, criminally prosecuted, and imprisoned for DUI, you may not know that victims can sue drunk drivers, even if they are facing criminal charges, or have already been convicted in criminal court.
If you, or someone you love was injured in a drunk or drugged driving crash – you have legal recourse. State legislatures frown heavily upon DUI, and are anxious to hold drunk drivers accountable for their actions, and this often includes personal injury lawsuits filed by victims and their families (in the case of a wrongful death).
If you were injured by a drunk driver, we urge you to contact our firm to speak with a Marietta personal injury attorney about your case for free!
Categories: Drunk Driving, FAQ