Attorney
Each day, almost 30 people die in the United States in motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. This adds up to an annual cost of over $51 billion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, there are three groups of people most at risk for injuries and fatalities from an alcohol-related driving incident – motorcyclists, young people, and drivers with prior DWI convictions.
In 2009, 29 percent of motorcyclists killed in road accidents had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. In addition, almost half of the alcohol-impaired motorcyclists killed every year are 40 years or older. On the other side of the age spectrum, the risk of a fatal crash involving alcohol for people ages 21 to 24 is higher than for older people, either on a motorcycle or in a car.
Also according to the CDC, it is likely that a drunken driver injured in a car accident has prior convictions. In fact, injured drivers with a .08 blood alcohol content are eight times more likely to have a prior conviction than an injured driver without alcohol in his or her system.
Bear these statistics in mind this weekend before you think about getting behind the wheel or on your bike after a Super Bowl party – find a designated driver or stay where you are. Contact our office today.
Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP
Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia Injury Attorneys
Approved by attorney Justin Beall