Drivers under the influence of alcohol are at a greater risk to get into an accident. Alcohol is a depressant which slows down the brain and impacts the body’s responses. Drivers under the influence are not able to properly operate a vehicle safely. They, also, are more likely to take greater risks, as their judgment may be impaired by the alcohol.
Alcohol caused car accidents in Michigan can result in serious consequences for those involved. People can be seriously injured or lose their lives. These types of accidents can result in major damages to cars and other property. The financial costs of an alcohol caused car accident can be expensive, pertaining to medical bills, lost wages, expensive repair/replacement bills for cars and other costs. The mental and emotional costs of an alcohol caused car accident can be astounding.
People who are involved in an alcohol caused car accident can sustain serious injuries. These injuries could be permanent, such as amputations, neck and back injuries, head injuries resulting in brain damage and injuries so severe that they lead to death.
In the United States, 30 people die every day in car accidents which involve an alcohol impaired driver, meaning every 48 minutes someone dies. Alcohol is involved in more than 30% of car accidents every year in the United States. 40% of fatalities resulting from car accidents involve alcohol. Among the people killed in these accidents 66% were drivers, 27% were passengers and 7% were non-occupants of a vehicle. The drivers involved in these accidents usually have a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) level of 0.08 or higher. It is illegal in the state of Michigan, including most states, to operate a vehicle with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.
There is a very good reason laws are set in place limiting the amount of alcohol a person can have in their system in order to drive. People’s health and lives are at risk when they are sharing the roads with others. The risks of someone being hurt or killed are drastically increased when someone who is impaired is on the road.
When someone has been involved in a car accident in Michigan, which was alcohol caused, and they or their family members have sustained injury or were killed, they should seek the counsel of a car accident attorney. A car accident attorney in Michigan fights for victims of impaired drivers to obtain the justice and compensation they deserve for an accident caused by someone else.