Rhode Island Auto Accident Attorney: Drunk Driving Facts

Learn 6 Facts About Drunk Driving In Rhode Island

Fact 1: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) every day in the United States, another 28 people die in motor vehicle accidents that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes.

Fact 2: In 2013, 10,076 people died in drunk driving crashes, and 290,000 people were injured in drunk driving crashes. Nearly 31% of all motor vehicle accident deaths are drunk driver fatalities.

Fact 3: In 2013, 200 child passengers ages 14 and younger died in drunk driving fatalities, over half of those children were riding in the same vehicle as the drunk driver.

Fact 4: Over 1.4 million drivers were arrested in 2010 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 18% of motor vehicle deaths, drivers were found to have other drugs in their system, such as marijuana and cocaine.

Fact 5: Studies show that many of the drunk drivers who cause the accidents have a previous conviction for DUI, and because they have experienced a significant increase in insurance premiums, many of them have minimal motor vehicle coverage or in many cases have no motor vehicle coverage at all.

Fact 6: When a motor vehicle accident is caused by a drunk driver, drunk driving accidents are not treated in the same manner as other motor vehicle accidents. While the drunk driver who caused or contributed to an accident is certainly responsible for his or her negligent actions, there may be other parties who could be held accountable as well. If a bar, restaurant, nightclub or other type of business served a driver who was obviously intoxicated or that the business should have known was intoxicated, that business may be liable for the accident as well. The laws that govern these claims are sometimes called “dram shop” laws.