Under The Influence: Injures Caused By Drunk Drivers

Auto accident injuries that occur as a result of driving under the influence.

When it comes to injuries or fatalities that are caused on the road, there are a number of different factors that can lead up to that potentially devastating moment: icy roads, obscured views, dangers on the road, pedestrians, drowsiness, etc. However, while each one of these dangerous scenarios happens each and every day, nothing comes close to the number of accidents and injuries that are caused as a result of a driver under the influence.

Despite all of the warnings, educational programs and public awareness that is spread all across the country, and to people of all ages, many people will still get behind the wheel of their vehicles while intoxicated. In fact, even though alcohol-related traffic fatalities have been on the decline in the last few years, drivers who are under the influence of alcohol are so prevalent that an estimated 40% of all persons in the United States will be involved in a traffic mishap blamed on alcohol at some point in their lives.

However, that is not the only shocking statistic that has come out about drunk driving. According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alcohol-impaired drivers are involved in about 1 in 3 crash deaths, resulting in nearly 11,000 deaths in 2009. That makes it even more scary to think about the fact that U.S. adults drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2012.

Given all of these horrifying facts, it’s easy to see why the certainty of highway injuries and death due to alcohol impaired drivers is just so predictable.

How Dangerous Is Drinking and Driving?

According to the CDC, a driver that has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 or greater is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash compared to a driver that has not consumed any alcoholic beverages, and a driver with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or greater is about 25 times more likely. Basically, the more you drink, the more likely you are to have an accident, and a fatal one at that.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself?

While society has done much to improve highway safety and spread the dangers that come with driving under the influence, there is still much that you can do as an individual to protect yourself against the threat of drunk drivers. One of the first, and most obvious, things you can do is to never get behind the wheel with someone who has too much to drink.

However, if you are driving by yourself, follow these defensive steps that may help you avoid a collision with someone who has had too much to drink:

- Always use a seat belt

- Use four-line highways, if possible

- Drive defensively

- Avoid rural roads

- Try not to travel after midnight (especially on hot weekend nights)

- Choose a vehicle with airbags

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of someone who was driving under the influence, be sure to contact Sall Myers Medical Associates. Our experienced medical professionals will help to ensure that your injuries are taken care of and that you are off on the fast path to recovery.

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