Drinking and Driving Decreasing in the United States, Yet Danger Remains
In 2010, Americans drove 112 million times after drinking too much, according to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This number has decreased since 2006, when it stood at 161 million times, but it is still dangerously high.
Other CDC statistics show that there were about 479 instances of drunk driving per 1,000 adults in 2010. In addition, 80 percent of drunk-driving incidents involved men. Men ages 21 to 34 make up about 11 percent of the population, yet the same group were involved in about 32 percent of drunken driving instances.
Increased occurrences of drunk driving are also attributed to binge drinkers. Binge drinking is defined for women as when they have four or more drinks in a short period of time. Men who have five or more drinks in a short period of time are considered binge drinkers. Binge drinkers contributed to about 85 percent of drinking and driving incidents in 2010.
Drinking Impairs Drivers in Many Ways
Alcohol can affect drivers' abilities to drive safely, even if they have had four or fewer drinks, sometimes resulting in tragic drunk driving accidents. Some of alcohol's effects include:
- Reduced coordination and ability to track moving objects
- Lack of judgment, reasoning and information-processing skills
- Difficulty multi-tasking
- Difficulty controlling speed
- Problems with steering
After having about five or more drinks, the effects of alcohol on driving include:
- Noticeably slower reaction time
- Lack of control of the vehicle
- Lack of focus
- Difficulty staying in the correct lane
- Difficulty braking when necessary
Preventing Drunk Driving and Saving Lives
Fatalities resulting from drunk driving decreased 20 percent between 2006 and 2010, reaching about 10,839 deaths. A University of Michigan report suggests that more vehicle airbags and fewer repeat offenders on the road may be responsible for this decline, as well as fewer miles being driven due to high gas prices and a faltering economy. The number of serious injuries and deaths caused by drunk driving is still very troublesome, though, as alcohol was involved in one out of every three crash-related deaths in 2010.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a car accident involving a drunk driver, contact a personal injury attorney with experience in drunk driving accidents to discuss any legal claims you may have.
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