Drunk Driving In Maryland

A drunk driver sped down I-97 in the wrong direction, leading to a five-car pile-up with multiple injuries and one fatality.  Months earlier, a drunk driver made an improper left turn and killed the driver of an oncoming vehicle. Still another death occurred when a drunk driver crashed into a utility pole, killing the passenger in the vehicle.  The bottom line is alcohol and driving don’t mix.  Nevertheless, there are plenty of people who drive under the influence of alcohol here in the Free State, resulting in injuries and death all too often. What recourse do victims and families have when they are overwhelmed with medical bills, funeral costs, and the loss of income that often results after a serious accident that occurs after a drunk driver gets behind the wheel?  A knowledgeable local personal injury attorney could provide some promising answers.

Drunk Driving Facts 

Nearly 30 people across this country are killed each and every day in drunk driving accidents. That’s right: over 10,000 fatalities occur every year because people choose to get behind the wheel after drinking too much. Many of those deaths—hundreds, in fact– are children; others are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters.  And the numbers are going up, with a nearly 10 percent rise in fatalities from 2019 to 2020. Here in Maryland, someone dies every other day in a drunk driving accident, and more than eight people are hospitalized with injuries every single day.

Believing You’re Okay 

In Maryland the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 is the legal limit. Although everyone is different, two or three drinks get the average adult to that point.  Even so, one in twenty drivers say they’ve driven despite believing they were over the legal limit.  Of those surveyed, 40 percent reported they believed they were capable of driving safely, even though they’d been drinking. Men were nearly twice as likely as women to take a chance behind the wheel despite believing they were over .08, and younger drivers were more likely than seniors.

Dollars and Cents 

Without question, the human costs of drunk driving accidents are incalculable.  The fiscal note associated with these incidents is nothing to sneeze at, either, with costs as high as $44 billion annually.

Addressing the Problem 

Having the highway patrol and police highly visible,  instituting aggressive education campaigns,  and setting up well-publicized DUI checkpoints, particularly on holidays, can all reduce the number of drunk drivers and accidents on the roads.  Penalties can serve as a deterrent too, with the prospect losing one’s driver’s license, thousands in fines, the potential of jail time, required ignition interlock devices all help to alert drivers that drunk driving has many costs to the drunk driver, in addition to the costs suffered by innocents and by society at large.  But despite all efforts to reduce drunk driving, some drivers make it onto the roads while under the influence, causing wholly preventable accidents that destroy the lives of innocents.

Justice after Loss 

The caring, experienced Baltimore personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of Hasson D. Barnes know that you’ve suffered unimaginable suffering after being victimized by a drunk driver.  The emotional trauma is just a piece of it; you also face outrageous medical bills following the accident.  To add insult to injury the earning power of anyone injured or killed in the accident is significantly diminished.  What recourse do you have?  It is entirely possible that you are entitled to significant damages.  At The Law Office of Hasson D. Barnes we will pursue damages on your behalf.  Schedule a confidential consultation in our Baltimore office today.

Source:

wtop.com/anne-arundel-county/2022/11/police-driver-charged-with-dui-after-multivehicle-crash-leaves-1-dead-in-anne-arundel-co/