It’s no secret that drinking and driving is extremely dangerous – law enforcement, mass media campaigns, and schools have made sure that we all know that. With the public knowledge that driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is frowned upon, it’s upsetting to hear about all of the drivers who drink and climb behind the wheel every day, putting people’s lives at risk.
While driving under the influence (DUI) is a nationwide epidemic, we wanted to shed some light on how big of a problem it is in South Carolina. Here is the latest data available on South Carolina from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Between 2003 and 2012, 3,870 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes.
- More people died between the ages of 21 and 34 in DUI crashes than any other age group.
- The rate of deaths per 100,000 population in 2012 was 12.3% for males and 3.2% for females, showing that far more males die in alcohol-related crashes in South Carolina than females.
How Big Is the Problem Nationwide?
According to the CDC, every day 28 people die in an alcohol-related crash in the United States – that’s one fatality every 53 minutes. Each year, the financial toll of DUI crashes exceeds $44 billion; in 2014 alone, nearly 10,000 people were killed in drunk driving crashes, accounting for 31% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S.
Tragically, of the 1,070 children ages 0 to 14 who died in a car accident in 2014, 209 of them were killed by a drunk driver. What’s more, other drugs, such as prescription drugs and marijuana are involved in about 16% of traffic accidents, and 13% of weekend drivers are driving under the influence of marijuana, the CDC reports.
To learn more about DUI accidents, visit Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Were You Injured in a Drunk Driving Accident?
If you were injured in a drug or alcohol-related crash and the impaired driver is now facing criminal charges, you may not be sure if you can still file a personal injury lawsuit. We assure you, that even if the drunk driver is facing misdemeanor or felony charges, you can file a lawsuit.
Fortunately, criminal and civil cases are separate, so a criminal case will not bar you from filing a civil case. What’s more, even if the at-fault driver is in jail for drunk driving, that won’t stop you from filing a personal injury claim. In fact, people file personal injury lawsuits after drunk driving accidents all of the time – if anybody has a right to, they do!
If you were injured in a DUI accident, contact the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC to schedule a free case evaluation. Our Columbia personal injury attorneys are here to help!