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Drunk Driving Fatalities
All too often, the news contains yet another tragic story of a life lost and families torn apart because a drunk driver decided to get behind the wheel of a car. If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident in Orlando, Orange County, Kissimmee, Apopka, Osceola County, or anywhere else in Florida, contact the drunk driving lawyers at Martinez, Manglardi, & today. Our drunk driving accident attorneys will work hard to protect your legal rights and will aggressively pursue the financial compensation you deserve for the damages and losses caused by the impaired driver that injured you.
The majority of alcohol related accidents involve a driver whose blood alcohol content (BAC) is over the legal limit. Since 2002, it has been illegal in all 50 states to drive with a BAC that is 0.08 percent or higher. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2006 there were 13,470 fatalities in crashes involving a driver whose BAC was at or over the legal limit -- and more than 8,200 of the drivers involved had a BAC of 0.15 percent or greater. This figure represents 32 percent of total traffic fatalities for the year as well as an average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 39 minutes. To make matters worse, there were an additional 16,005 fatalities in crashes involving a driver whose BAC was 0.01 percent or higher. There can be no argument that when drivers get behind the wheel after having too much to drink, they put everyone on the road at risk.
The 13,470 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in 2006 were actually slightly higher than the 13,451 such fatalities reported in 1996. But some progress is being made. In 2007, the number of people killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes had dropped to 13,000.
Age plays a role in drunk driving crashes. For fatal crashes in 2006, the highest percentage of drivers with a BAC level of 0.08 percent or higher was among drivers aged 21-24 (33 percent), followed by drivers aged 25-34 (29 percent), and drivers aged 35-44 (25 percent). At the state level, in 2005 Florida followed only Texas and California as to the number of drinking and driving fatalities (1,111). In 2006, out of all Florida traffic fatalities, 29 percent involved a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher.
The most unfortunate aspect of drunk driving is that any injuries or deaths caused by drunk drivers are entirely preventable. Still, many negligent, careless or reckless individuals continue to drink and drive. Our experienced Orlando drunk driving accident lawyers can pursue those motorists who choose to drive when intoxicated. We can also pursue others who contributed to a fatal drunk driving accident. Florida’s dram shop law allows the victim of drunk driving to go after the establishment that served alcohol to the drunk driver in certain circumstances. The dram shop law generally applies if a liquor-licensed facility served a minor or someone who is habitually addicted to alcohol. If the dram shop qualifications are met, the victim can hold the facility that served the alcohol responsible for the injury or damage caused by the drunk driver. At Attorneys Trial Group, our Orlando drunk driving accident attorneys are knowledgeable about Florida's dram shop law and we will fight hard to hold businesses accountable if they fail to live up to their legal duty.
At Attorneys Trial Group, we aggressively pursue claims against drunk drivers responsible for serious injuries and death. In addition to pursuing negligence claims, Florida law gives drunk driving victims the right to sue for punitive damages. Those damages are designed to punish a drunk driver for willful, wanton, and reckless conduct. As a drunk driving accident victim in the state of Florida, you have rights. To discuss your options for seeking recovery, contact our offices in Orlando, Kissimmee or Apopka today to speak with a knowledgeable Central Florida drunk driver accident lawyer.
At Attorneys Trial Group, our Orange County drunk driving accident lawyers are on your side, and we can help you make informed decisions about your accident claim. Our cases are handled by a team of professionals, including nurses, doctors, engineers and other experts. We offer free consultations in your home, at the hospital or in our offices. There are no fees or costs unless we win. Contact us today at our offices in Orlando, Kissimmee and Apopka or from anywhere else in Florida by calling 1-888-337-3246 or via our online contact form.