JUST HOW BIG A PROBLEM IS ALCOHOL IN PENNSYLVANIA CAR ACCIDENTS?

It is impossible to watch TV, listen to a radio or even drive along our Pennsylvania highways without being bombarded with advertising warning against drunk driving. However, each year a fair number of Pennsylvania residents are killed in alcohol-related accidents despite the use of expensive advertising campaigns and random DUI checkpoints.

According to the Pennsylvania DUI Association, alcohol was a factor in 11,956 accidents during 2012. At least 404 people were killed that same year as a result of drunk driving.

One of the most alarming trends in recent DUI statistics is an uptick in the number of young people dying in alcohol-related car crashes. Statistics from 2012 indicate that at least 18 percent of drivers who died between the ages of 16-20 were intoxicated at the time of their deaths. Another young age group, 21-25 years old, accounted for 40 percent of all drinking driver deaths.

On average, there are roughly 33 alcohol-related accidents occurring throughout the Commonwealth every day. Additionally, out of those 33 accidents an estimated 1.1 individuals will die as a result of those crashes. The time of day when the majority of people will be killed by drunk drivers occurs between 8:00 p.m. through 4:00 a.m.

Becoming involved in any car accident is always an unpleasant experience, but it is made several times worse when it has been caused by the careless or reckless actions of others. You may be entitled to sue those responsible for your injuries if you have been harmed as a result of a preventable car accident. In some cases, it may be possible for you to recover the losses attributed to your accident such as medical costs and lost wages.

Source: Pennsylvania DUI Association, “Crash Facts — Alcohol-Related Crashes” Oct. 29, 2014