It is perhaps only fitting that December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. The holiday season is the time when almost all gatherings of people in North Carolina and elsewhere include the serving of alcohol, typically leading to increased numbers of motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, many of them leave victims with catastrophic injuries or worse.
Authorities say the number of traffic-related deaths nationwide increases significantly from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. They report that alcohol-impaired drivers kill more than 45 people per day during the early season, with the numbers increasing closer to year-end. Reportedly, almost 70 percent of the road accident fatalities involve drunk drivers with blood alcohol levels exceeding .15 while the legal limit for adult drivers is .08 percent.
More and more crashes involve drivers who are impaired by opioids and other drugs that, when mixed with alcohol, exacerbate the dangers. Both alcohol and drug impairment also threaten the lives of pedestrians, especially over weekends when celebrations are more prevalent. Drunk drivers threaten not only their own lives but also the lives of their passengers, occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians nearby.
Victims of drunk driving accidents or surviving family members of those who have lost their lives in such motor vehicle accidents might have questions about their rights to pursue claims for financial relief. An experienced North Carolina personal injury and wrongful death attorney can answer questions and provide the necessary support and guidance throughout ensuing legal proceedings. Documented claims can include financial and emotional damages that resulted from the crash.
