In Part I of this two-part series, we asked and answered an important question – “how common are drunk driving accidents?” The answer, unfortunately, is quite simple: “very common.” Here, in Part II of this series, we will examine whether or not there are certain people who are more at risk of being involved in a drunk driving accident than others.
In short, it is indeed more common for certain segments of the population to be involved in drunk driving accidents. For instance, if a drunk driver has been arrested for driving under the influence before, the chance of being involved in a drunk driving accident is higher. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that when a person is involved in a fatal accident and there is a determination that the person had a blood alcohol content that exceeded .08, the chances were greater that the person had a prior DUI conviction.
Next, motorcyclists are more commonly involved in drunk driving accidents. The statistics show that in 2013, 27 percent of motorcyclists who were killed in accidents had blood alcohol content greater than .08 percent.
Lastly, and perhaps most unfortunate, young people are more commonly involved in drunk driving accidents. The CDC reports that in 2013, of all the drivers who were noted to have been involved in a car accident with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more, 33 percent were between the ages of 21 and 24. That is a huge percentage for such a narrow age range.
This type of reckless behavior puts drivers and passengers at risk. When drunk driving leads to an accident, liability for the accident-related damages is usually clear. People in the Rome area who suffer injuries at the hands of a drunk driver have legal rights to hold that driver responsible.
Source: CDC.gov, “Impaired Driving: Get the Facts,” Accessed June 21, 2015