Drunk Driving: More than Just a Legal Issue
The dangers of drunk driving are obvious. People who drive under these circumstances pose a risk not just to themselves and the car occupants but to other drivers and pedestrians on the road. The numbers are alarming - for every 10 auto accidents which occur, 4 out of these are related to drunk driving. Over 25 thousand people die every year from accidents that involve alcohol. As much as 700,000 are injured in similar incidences. There are reported to be about 500 deaths every week as a result of drivers who are found to be drunk. Put in even starker figures, nearly 70 people die every day as a result of drunk driving accidents. It is estimated that half of the population of America will at some point be involved in an alcohol-auto related accident. Beyond the costs associated with fines, court fees, and hiring a Denver DUI attorney, the repercussions of driving under the influence are simply too wide to ignore and yet, amazingly many people still do.
Death and possible injuries are however not the only risk or effect that driving under the influence can cause. There are many other consequences of drinking and driving. These range from physical factors to those of financial. The United States spends over $20 billion every year dealing with drunk driving accidents, court cases, and so on. In a report published by National Geographic, costs associated with treating alcohol abuse are estimated to be over $136 billion annually.
Cases that involve a drunk driver injuring an innocent motorist frequently result in civil suits that require the driver to pay injured parties compensation. These compensations normally involve financial settlements aimed at covering the injured party’s medical expenses, lost wages, as well as accounting for the overall emotion trauma such people would have no doubt experienced. This is all on top of the criminal penalties that drunk drivers are also subjected to. It is very important that you seek the counsel of a Denver accident lawyer in the event that you are arrested for DUI. If you are injured by a drunk driver, you will likely need the assistance of a car accident lawyer to stand a better chance of getting the compensation that you rightly deserve. In cases where death results from the actions of a drunk driver a wrongful death attorney should immediately be sought. The actions of this attorney will not only see that the family is provided some form of compensation, it also will ensure that such drivers are held accountable and kept of the road for the foreseeable future.
There are many effects of drunk driving. These actions do not only affect other car owners and pedestrians but also the driver as well. If a driver is found to have been responsible for an accident when drunk and driving, the legal consequences can be very severe. Such drivers will normally have to face several settlement claims from the parties that suffered injuries as a result of his action. He also will most likely suffer a license suspension as well as fines and many other penalties. In the even more regrettable event that his drunken actions resulted in the death of a person, criminal charges will also be filed against him. All these and more will require the assistance of a Colorado DUI lawyer or a criminal defense lawyer. By hiring their services, a driver will be able to ensure that he is provided with the best defense for his charges.
However, regardless of the verdict of his case, most drivers will still be forced to contend with the results and aftermath of their actions long after the court reaches a decision. The issue of drinking and driving is simple: if you must drink, don’t drive.