Drunk Drivers and Severe Personal Injury

Alcohol is a large contributor to auto accidents and wrongful deaths. As a matter of fact, research shows that it is a factor in at least 40% of all auto and motorcycle accidents and causes roughly 13,000 wrongful deaths a year. The good news is that drunk driving seems to be on the decline in America over the past few decades. A recent survey showed that roughly 2.2 percent of drivers on the road had a blood-alcohol content that would classify them as intoxicated in all 50 states.

That figure is down from 7.5 percent in 1973 – which indicates a major behavior adjustment has occurred in the last three decades. This can only help lower the rate of auto and motorcycle accidents, not to mention personal injury and wrongful death suits. The more troubling news is that, when the more recent survey was done, the drivers were tested for drug usage for the first time. An alarming 16.3% of nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs – including marijuana (8.6 percent), cocaine (3.9 percent) and over-the-counter and prescription drugs (3.9 percent). » Read more: Alcohol and Auto Accidents