Drunk driving accidents occur all over the United States and unfortunately Pennsylvania is no exception. While lawmakers continue to work on improving the laws for driving under the influence, it offers no consolation to those who have experienced DUI accidents first hand. To help raise awareness about alcohol-related accidents in the state of Pennsylvania, here are some fast facts about driving while intoxicated.
Five-year trends: From 2009 through 2013, alcohol-related car crashes in Pennsylvania have decreased; however, the figures (listed below) are still staggering.
— 2009 – 12,712– 2010 – 12,426– 2011 – 11,805– 2012 – 11,956– 2013 – 11,041
Victims of alcohol-related fatalities: To highlight how serious driving under the influence remains, take a look at these alcohol-related crash fatality statistics from 2013.
— 252 drinking drivers perished in car accidents– 45 passengers riding with drinking drivers died in alcohol-related car crashes– 17 non-drinking pedestrians perished due to drinking drivers
In the section below, you will find more fast facts about driving under the influence in Pennsylvania.
— 46 percent of alcohol-related crash fatalities occur over the weekend in 2013– In 2013, 32 percent of holiday car accident fatalities involved the use of alcohol– Most of the DUI car accidents in 2013 involved drinking drivers age 21 to 30 years of age– 44 percent of drivers who died due to car accidents in 2013 were drinking at the time of the crash
While there seems to be no easy solution to eliminate alcohol-related car accidents, victims can aid the cause by seeking recompense through the legal system. Perhaps if more drivers are taken to task for their actions behind the wheel, it will result in an even more dramatic decrease of DUI accidents.
If you have suffered bodily injuries or property damage due an intoxicated driver, exercise your rights to seek compensation by speaking with a Pennsylvania-based personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Source: Pennsylvania DUI Association, “Crash Facts,” accessed June 15, 2015