The impact of a drunk driving accident on crash victims and their families can be devastating. Lives can be turned upside down, families can be affected, and victims may have to undergo months of treatment or therapy.
And while drunk driving accidents can happen any time of year, the Thanksgiving holiday has one of the highest rates of alcohol-impaired driving. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Highway Safety Office reports that in 2016 (the latest report), there were 624 statewide traffic accidents on Thanksgiving. Approximately 207 of them resulted in injuries and five resulted in fatalities. Moreover, 30 people were injured due to drunk driving accidents and one person was killed.
Any BAC Level can be dangerous
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), Oklahoma had a total of 355 traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2016 (the latest report). Approximately 327 of them had known blood alcohol content (BAC) results and 96 of them had BAC levels greater than 0.08.
Like the rest of the nation, Oklahoma has a BAC limit of .08. However, a BAC under .08 can still affect a driver's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. The NHTSA reports that out of approximately 10,497 traffic fatalities nationwide in 2016 involving alcohol, 2,017 (that is, almost 1 in 5) involved drivers with BAC levels between .01 and .07.
At legal BAC levels:
- .02 can result in minor loss of judgment, some visual impairment and a decline in coordination
- .05 can affect muscle control (especially in the eyes) and cause impairment in judgment and alertness, motor skills, and reaction time.
When the worst happens, our attorneys can help
If you or a loved one sustained an injury in a crash with a driver who was under the influence of alcohol, it's important that you speak to a highly skilled auto accident attorney. Even if the driver who caused your accident had a legal BAC level, he or she should still be held accountable. Any level of alcohol impairment can be used as evidence when investigating a crash.
The attorneys at Lawter & Associates, PLLC have more than 40 years of experience handling drunk driving accidents and helping injured motorists obtain compensation. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation.