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Fatal Crashes at Night More Likely to Involve a Drunk Driver

On Behalf of | Aug 22, 2014 | Blog, Motor Vehicle Accidents

Fatal Crashes at Night More Likely to Involve a Drunk Driver

Did you know that on average one person loses their life every 51 minutes due to an alcohol-impaired driving crash? The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Department’s annual Labor Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown on drunk drivers.

According to a 2014 NHTSA report, crashes caused by drunk drivers cost the nation $47 billion in direct economic impacts in 2010 alone. This equates to an average cost of $152 for every person in the U.S. NHTSA’s 2012 report also found that for the year 2012:

• Of the fatalities among children ages 14 and younger, 20% occurred in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.

• The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was nearly four times higher at night than during the day (35%   versus 9%).

• The 21-24-year-old age group had the highest percentage of drivers in fatal crashes with BAC levels of .08 or higher (32%).

• Drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher in fatal crashes were seven times more likely to have a prior conviction for DWI.

• 59% of drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking had a BAC of .15 or greater.

For more detailed information concerning NHTSA’s 2014 report, visit: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811870.pdf.

Attorney Wendy York and the team at York Law Firm represents injured victims and families from wrongful car crashes, DWI and DWI car crashes for almost 20 years. If you or your loved ones have suffered the loss of a family member or have been seriously injured because of a reckless drunk driver, please contact York Law Firm at 916-643-2200.

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