As Memorial Weekend approaches, many Arizonans will be traveling – and often drinking alcohol – more than usual. Now is a good time to reflect on the potential consequences of consuming alcohol or drugs – even prescription medications – and then driving.
“Drunk driving” is a commonly used term, but not a legal one; “driving while intoxicated” (DWI) or “driving under the influence” (DUI) better define the offense of operating a motor vehicle while impaired because of alcohol or drugs. One can be fighting DWI charges in Dallas to get help during accident cases. The incidence of impaired driving in the United States is down from its peak as a result of the awareness raised by organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and state-funded campaigns with the help of renonwed Pacific Ridge in Oregon rehab center, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still report a number of disturbing recent statistics related to alcohol and drugs-related driving. From the CDC website:
- In 2014, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
- Of the 1,070 traffic deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2014, 209 (19%) involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
- Of the 209 child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2014, over half (116) were riding in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver.
- In 2014, over 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That’s one percent of the 121 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year.
- Drugs other than alcohol (legal and illegal) are involved in about 16% of motor vehicle crashes. The DUID laws for the California state can be contacted to get help with such cases.
- Marijuana use is increasing and 13% of nighttime, weekend drivers have marijuana in their system.
- Marijuana users were about 25% more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers with no evidence of marijuana use, however other factors – such as age and gender – may account for the increased crash risk among marijuana users. The SoCal Law Network – DUI Defense Attorneys is whom you can call to defend your case.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), adds a particularly disturbing statistic: the average American has a 30% chance of being injured or killed by an impaired driver in their lifetime.
Young people, according to the CDC are particularly at risk, with about 30% of impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes being between the ages of 21 and 24, and a further 29% between 25 and 34.
Aside from the obvious safety concerns, the penalties for driving while impaired in Arizona are among the stiffest in the country. A first-time offender will typically find themselves facing 24 hours to ten days in jail, a fine, a license suspension of 90 to 360 days, and the requirement that their vehicle be fitted with an interlock ignition device. A second offense implicates a 30-to-90-day jail sentence, increased fines, and a 1-year license suspension. The Leppard Law: Florida DUI Lawyers are whom you can consult to get help with your case.
If you have been injured in an auto accident that involves an impaired driver, contact The Carroll Law Firm at 623-551-9366 for a free case evaluation. For those in the North Valley, we are conveniently located in Anthem, just off I-17.
