Georgia residents with teen drivers should know about a study from CheapCarInsuranceQuotes.com that deals with the subject of teen drunk driving. Teens should not be drinking any alcohol at all, but CDC data shows that 5.5% of teens not only drink it but also drive after doing so. Drunk driving is all too prevalent: Out of the 37,133 road accidents that occurred in 2017, 10,874 involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or above.
The study shows a correlation between the percentage of high school students who drink and drive and the rate of drunk driving fatalities. Researchers made a ranking of the 15 worst states in this regard and put Arkansas and Louisiana at the top. In those two states, respectively, 10.6% and 10% of high school students reported drinking and driving. Their DUI fatality rates were 4.8 and 4.7 per 100,000 people, which is higher than the national average of 3.4.
Not only that, but 26.3% and 28.2% of teens in Arkansas and Louisiana reported riding with a drunk driver. As for the rest of the list of the worst 15 states, Montana came in third while Idaho, Arizona and Connecticut were somewhat safer. Of all the states, Utah has the lowest percentage of high school students who drink and drive at 2.8% and a DUI fatality rate of 1.7 per 100,000 people.
Drunk driving is behind so many car crashes because alcohol impairs one’s judgment, reaction times, vision and more. Separate from the criminal charges that drunk drivers face, such an incident can lead to a personal injury claim. Those who are injured and who are less than 50% at fault can be eligible for compensation in this state, but they may want legal representation. A lawyer may handle settlement negotiations with the auto insurance companies so that victims might be reimbursed for medical bills and whatever else applies.