More than one-third of people killed in an alcohol-related crash are not the impaired drivers. In 2011, 9,878 people lost their lives because of drunk driving. These people make up 31% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities. The portion of people killed in in a motor vehicle accident each year due to a drunk driver has remained steady for the past decade. In 2011, the 212 million licensed drivers in the U.S. have crashed over 5.3 million times, injured 2.2 million and killed 32,367. Each day in 2011, 27 people died in alcohol-related crashes. That amounts to about 1 death every hour. In the same year, the number of alcohol-impaired motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashed went up by 9%. Additionally, motorcycles had the highest percentage (29%) of alcohol-impaired drivers of all vehicle types. Shockingly, 1 in 12 people, or 17.2 million drivers, said they rode in a vehicle with a driver who they believe may have consumed too much alcohol to drive safely in the past year, according to a recent NHTSA survey. So What Can You Do To Prevent Drunk Driving & Increase The Safety On Our Roads?
- Designate a sober driver before the drinking begins.
- Take cabs or stay the night if you did not designate a sober driver.
- Never accept a ride with an impaired driver and encourage them not to drive home.
- Talk to your teen about the effects of impaired driving and put a taxi phone number in their phone.
- Set a good example for your teen and never drive drunk.
- Spread the word: talk to your community, your child’s school, and other public groups to help spread the word about impaired driving. It couldsave at least one life.
These fatalities involving drunk driving were 100% preventable. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver, contact us immediately for help. Read more about the statistics and prevention tips for impaired driving.
Mr. Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP. He has become a noted consumer activist through his representation of injured individuals against corporate wrongdoers and irresponsible parties.
An accomplished litigator, Mr. Finkelstein has represented Plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has successfully handled dozens of multi-million dollar cases.