Impaired Driving - Alcohol, Drugs, and Car Accidents
The article discusses the problem of driving while impaired and the legal rights of injury victims. Scroll down for more details!
While many people take care not to drive while impaired, it’s still a huge problem across the country. When someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they have a greater chance of getting into a car accident. This negligent behaviour and disregard for others means that if an intoxicated driver causes an accident, injury victims have the right to sue.
Statistics on Impaired Driving
The National Safety Council has some alarming statistics regarding alcohol-impaired driving. According to data from 2021, there were 13,384 fatalities due to alcohol-impaired drivers.
Additionally, for California, 2018 statistics found that 42% of all drivers who perished in motor vehicle accidents tested positive for drugs. The drugs were of both legal and illegal varieties. Sadly, the Office of Traffic Safety says that the percentage keeps increasing each year.
How Do Alcohol and Drugs Affect the Ability to Drive Safely?
Many people enjoy a drink or two and get behind the wheel while still being below the legal limit. However, it only takes a small amount of alcohol to impair someone’s driving ability.
Alcohol affects a driver’s attention, coordination, and ability to respond to a sudden change. Muscle coordination, concentration, and the ability to process new information are also impaired when intoxicated. This is why reaction time is slowed and driving tends to be more erratic.
Also troubling is the rise in prescription medications over the last decade. Many Americans are taking medications that can impair their driving abilities. Even though those prescriptions are legal, people taking them need to be aware of how the medications can impact the way they drive.
Painkillers, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs, and even allergy medications are common reasons for impaired driving. Each of these drugs has side effects, often with the same effects as alcohol. While medication may be taken according to doctor’s orders, it is not a permissible excuse for getting behind the wheel while using them.
Another concern for California is the legalization of marijuana. Using marijuana is legal for those 21 and older in their private residence or at businesses licensed for on-site consumption, it is illegal to smoke in public places and while driving. Those who smoke marijuana while driving have a slower reaction time and impaired coordination.
When drivers combine alcohol and drugs, it’s a recipe for disaster because they cause greater impairment. Alcohol slows down the central nervous system and mixing it with marijuana, other prescriptions, or even illicit drugs, can heighten these debilitating effects.
Was Impaired Driving a Factor in Your Car Accident?
Unless you could smell alcohol on the breath of the other driver, you may not be able to tell if alcohol or drugs were the cause of the crash. If you were in an accident with an impaired driver, you would want an attorney to help you gather evidence and investigate to hold them responsible for the for the damages they’ve caused. You can also talk to a drunk driving lawyer to see if you have a case to take them to court.
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