According to a fact sheet that was published on the State of New Jersey’s website, more than 10,300 people lost their lives in drunk driving accidents across the country in 2012. Furthermore, these deaths represented 31 percent of the total number of lives that were lost in motor vehicle traffic fatalities over the course of the year. To make matters worse, this doesn’t account for the drunk driving wrecks which did not result in fatalities. In Monmouth and throughout New Jersey, victims of non-fatal crashes may experience numerous hardships if they are able to survive an accident, from serious injuries to medical bills and lost wages.
The fact sheet also reveals a 4.6 percent increase in the number of drunk driving crashes that occurred in 2012 compared to the year before. Also, the highest concentration of drivers with a BAC of .08 or greater were between the ages of 21 and 24, according to the statistics. Furthermore, alcohol intoxication was nearly four times more likely to play a role in deadly accidents that occurred at night. Sadly, more people made the decision to ignore the messages presented in awareness campaigns and drive while drunk.
Clearly, driving while under the influence of alcohol is a major factor in fatal auto accidents and more needs to be done to prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel. Unfortunately, more reckless drivers will likely take to the road and put the lives of others at risk. If you or one of your loved ones are a victim of a drunk driving accident, you should do everything you can to hold the irresponsible driver accountable and may want to think about filing a lawsuit.
