Car accidents in Louisiana happen for a variety of reasons. Today, when there is a crash, the first thought that many might have is that it was due to a distracted driver. However, before people had smartphones and other methods of being distracted behind the wheel, one of the main reasons for an auto accident was because a driver was under the influence. Drunk driving remains a problem despite other potential reasons why there might be an accident. Researchers continue to assess this issue and attempt to find ways to reduce its frequency. Unfortunately, recent studies indicate that it continues to be a trend.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that every 50 minutes, there is a fatality in an alcohol-related accident in the U.S. Value Penguin, a research company, used the data from the NHTSA and expanded it. It calculated the number of DUI crashes per state. Louisiana came in ninth in the rankings for fatal car crashes with a drunk driver.
With the NHTSA statistics for drunk drivers – defined as a blood-alcohol content level of a minimum of .08 – Value Penguin did a comparison against the populations of each state. In Louisiana, there were five fatal DUI accidents for every 100,000 persons living in the state. When there is a traffic death in Louisiana, 30 percent are alcohol-related in some way. Nearly 70 percent of these fatal accidents have drivers whose BAC was almost two times the legal amount.
For people who have been injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, there will be an inevitable amount of anger because it was so unnecessary. Drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking place themselves and anyone they encounter in danger. It can lead to severe injuries, long hospital stays, a drastically changed life and other problems if the person survives.
When there is a fatal drunk driving accident, there are a whole host of other issues that must be dealt with such as funeral costs and making ends meet without a loved one. A legal filing can be essential to receive compensation for all that was lost. The investigation into the case is essential as proving a driver was intoxicated can go a long way toward a successful case. Contacting a legal professional who is experienced in drunk driving accidents is the first step.
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