Fatal accidents are often caused by impaired driving
Drivers who are distracted or impaired can cause high-speed collisions resulting in catastrophic injuries. A serious motor vehicle collision can have lasting, devastating effects. Unfortunately, severe collisions can result in the death of vehicle occupants.
While drivers can be impaired by alcohol, drugs or prescription medication, various factors can influence the level of impairment. Drivers can experience drowsiness, dulled reaction times, blurred vision, trouble processing information and faulty decision-making. Impaired drivers might veer into oncoming traffic or fail to recognize an upcoming traffic intersection.
Common vehicle accidents can include:
- Rear-end collisions: A driver fails to recognize stopped or slowed traffic and strikes them from the rear.
- Front-end collisions: Often considered the deadliest type of wreck as the force of both vehicles contributes to the collision. It is also referred to as a head-on collision.
- Side-impact collisions: These are often referred to as broadside or T-bone collisions and are caused by a driver colliding with another vehicle along a perpendicular trajectory.
The National Center for Statistics and Analysis has compiled data centered on vehicle occupants who were killed in alcohol-impairment-related collisions. While the annual number of fatalities is on a generally downward trend since 1990, motor vehicle deaths by alcohol involvement numbered more than 10,500 in 2018 alone. Additionally, 1,878 fatalities were reported when drivers had alcohol in their blood but were still under the legal limit. These numbers, taken in total, account for more than 33% of all vehicle fatalities in 2018.
If you were injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving collision, you are entitled to seek monetary compensation to cover lost wages, property damage, medical bills, and pain and suffering. It is imperative that you explore your legal options following a devastating collision.
