It has been many decades in the U.S. now since regulations were put in place restricting the volume of alcohol that is allowed before driving on the public highway system. It is one of the first things that any new driver gets to know, as the penalties for drink driving for good reason are severe and could even involve a prison sentence. Despite strict state legislation on drunk driving it remains a major reason for vehicle accidents. Anybody who is involved in a collision with a drunk driver should seek the assistance of a qualified car accident lawyer to help them claim compensation for any injuries they have received in the accident.
The effects of alcohol
We have all seen people under the influence of alcohol, swaggering and swaying down a street after the bars and night clubs have closed. In this situation, they are not normally of any danger to an ordinary bystander. Usually, most people would probably just give them a wide berth to avoid any possible confrontation. But, put them in front of an automobile wheel and the situation changes completely.
The effects of alcohol on our body can cause:
- blurred vision
- poor concentration
- poor co – ordination
- fatigue
- greater risk taking.
These effects alone are lethal on our roads at the best of times either by themselves or as a combination, but once a drunk driver gets behind the wheel anything could happen. Our ability to avoid an accident is often founded on the behavior of other road users, but if a drunk driver is driving erratically, we don’t know how to react.
Drunk drivers can easily be detected
Despite most state laws limiting drivers’ alcohol consumption to less than 0.08% blood alcohol concentration (BAC), thousands of drunk drivers every day who are over this limit venture out on to the roads causing serious accidents and injuries. Fortunately, it is not difficult to detect the driver at fault as breathalyzer tests and blood tests can give a clear indication of the alcohol level in one’s blood and whether the driver is over the limit.
Any accident victim who has been injured is legally entitled to receive compensation for injuries suffered at the hands of a drunk driver and every year attorneys throughout the country win thousands of compensation claims for injuries sustained due to the behavior of an intoxicated driver.
If you or a member of your family has been injured as a result of the driving behavior of a drunken driver, it doesn’t matter if you were a passenger, another car driver or a pedestrian, then you are entitled to receive a compensation payment to cover you for the suffering you have encountered due to an action that was not your fault.
Lawyers in the US deal with thousands of compensation claims every year and obtain millions of dollars for victims of injuries received in accidents that were not their fault. No victim should ever feel guilty, as any injury received in an accident might be life changing, including forfeiting one’s job, large amounts of cash having to be spent on medical expenses and a greater reliance on family members for support.