The dangers associated with drunk driving cannot be overstated. In fact, the National Highway Transport and Safety Authority report that driving under the influence claims over 11,000 deaths each year. If you have suffered injuries in a drunk driving accident, you may consider filing a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party according to New Jersey car accident compensation laws.
Consuming alcohol – even in small amounts – before getting behind the wheels can greatly impact the driver’s brain and muscle functions. This can lead to impaired judgment, reduced reaction and coordination times and more. As a result, they are likely to make poor decisions and cause devastating accidents.
Drunk driving often leads to the following accidents:
Head-on collisions
There is no doubt that operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated can impair a person’s driving skills. As a depressant, alcohol slows down the driver’s reflexes, inhibits their perception and makes their motor functions sluggish. It can also make the driver pass out and get lulled into sleep while driving.
When a drunk driver drifts out of their lane into oncoming traffic, they are likely to cause a head-on collision. And a head-on collision can lead to serious injuries to the occupants of both vehicles.
Rear-end collisions
A drunk driver will typically have difficulty judging distances and gauging whether or not they have adequate room to stop the vehicle before running into something – usually the car ahead. This is particularly common when a drunk driver is operating a large and heavy commercial truck that requires plenty of room to stop. As already mentioned, alcohol also impairs the driver’s vision. As a result, they may have difficulty noticing important road signs or the cars in front leading to a rear-end collision.
Driving under the influence is both dangerous and illegal. If you are hurt in an accident that is attributable to drunk driving, it is important that exercise your legal right to pursue compensation from the responsible party.
