New Study Indicates That 10% of Heavy Drinkers Drive
A new study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 10% of binge drinkers drove the last time they drank heavily. Of this group, about half of them drove from a bar, restaurant or nightclub. In the study, "binge drinkers" were defined as people who drank at least five drinks on a single occasion at least once a month. Many of the people surveyed drank several more than five drinks at one sitting and drove.
Assuming this study was performed by asking people anonymously to disclose how much they have had to drink and whether they drove, I would guess that the 10% number is a little low. What does this mean for personal injury and wrongful death cases? We have seen many accidents caused by people who were intoxicated from alcohol and/or drugs. When a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs causes a traffic accident that results in injuries or death, this adds an new element to the normal inquiry as to the cause of an accident. A person who runs a red light or fails to stop and hits another vehicle is negligent in causing the crash. If a person is drunk or otherwise intoxicated and causes a crash, he/she is negligent and also reckless due to the intoxication element. This means that the injured party or the family member of the deceased party can sue not just for the normal damages in a lawsuit but punitive damages which are designed to punish someone for reckless conduct and deter them from doing it again.
Whenever there is an accident with the possibility that the at-fault driver was drunk or intoxicated on drugs, it is important to explore all the evidence that uncovers the at-fault driver's condition at the time of the crash. That kind of evidence can make a significant difference in the amount a person can recover for injuries or a death caused by a drunk or otherwise intoxicated driver.
