There are a variety of reasons why pedestrian accidents happen, claiming the lives of innocent people who were walking alongside the road. Sometimes, these crashes are caused by a pedestrian’s error, such as crossing the road improperly, while others are the result of driver negligence (speeding, etc.). However, alcohol is a major problem with respect to traffic accidents of all kinds, including deadly pedestrian accidents. Not only does alcohol sometimes lead to the loss of life when a driver is drunk, but pedestrians may lose their lives when they walk while they are intoxicated as well.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 2,000 pedestrian fatalities took place in 2013 involving some level of alcohol consumption by drivers and pedestrians. Over the duration of the year, more than 1,200 pedestrians whose blood alcohol content level was .08 or greater lost their lives in a pedestrian accident. Moreover, drivers who were driving over the legal limit (.08) were involved in more than 700 fatal pedestrian accidents. In some instances, both the driver and pedestrian had BAC levels that were .08 or higher.
It is apparent that alcohol plays a role in many of the deadly pedestrian accidents that take place each year. Sadly, more and more lives will be lost due to the consumption of alcohol and other intoxicating substances. When a pedestrian passes away in a crash, the accident may reverberate throughout his or her family, resulting in a great deal of emotional trauma and even financial hardships due to medical costs and additional expenses.