Most drivers are aware of the inherent risks associated with being on the roads. What people may not be quite as aware of are the staggering statistics regarding the number of car accidents that are caused by drunk driver negligence. A recent Colorado article pointed retold a story of an accident related to drunk driver negligence and pointed out the current statistics and how this is still a significant problem today.
In one of the accidents that were recounted, the driver was drunk while his passenger hadn’t been drinking. It was a violent, fatal accident in which the passenger took the brunt of the force as the vehicle slammed into a tree approximately a mile from the party they had left. Because of the carelessness of one young man, a single mom lost her only son. This is just one example that should serve as a devastating wake-up call.
Even though the legal drinking age is 21, many people may be surprised to know that — as of 2010 — it was reported that 22 percent of those drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 that were involved in a fatal accident had been drinking. Officials are taking steps to try and curtail the issue of fatal drunk driving accidents, with varying levels of success. Back in the 1980s, states started lowering the legal drinking limit from 0.1 to 0.08. It has since been recommended that it be lowered to 0.05, which is a proposal that is still in the works.
Drunk driver negligence is an offense that is taken seriously. Any Colorado resident that has been a victim of such could benefit from knowing their rights under the state law. A victim or their family may want to look into filing a civil suit to help recover any medical expenses or other losses that resulted from the accident. By taking a proactive approach, individuals may be able to alleviate some of the financial suffering that a serious accident can cause.
Source: The Durango Herald, “Not much alcohol is needed to be in fatal car accident,” Dr. Fraser Houston, May 26, 2013
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