Uncovering the Underlying Cause of Charleston Drunk-Driving Accidents

Every year, drunk-driving accidents kill at least 10,000 people and injure 290,000 more. The results of these collisions are truly devastating. Families are torn apart and victims often face hospital stays from horrendous injuries. We all know that operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol is dangerous, so why do so many people continue to do it? Many People Don't Understand How Alcohol Impairs Them After a gathering, people are often overheard saying, "Are you safe to drive?" That's a question that should never be asked, because if there's cause to question it, the person shouldn't be behind the wheel. Sadly, the response is often "Yes," when consuming just one alcoholic drink can impair a person's driving. Numerous Factors Affect How a Person's Body Handles Alcohol On average, a 160-pound person's BAC will rise 0.02% with every 14 grams of alcohol consumed, whether that's contained in a single beer, a shot, a glass of wine, or any other drink. However, according to MADD, the degree of impairment also varies based on numerous factors, including

• Gender
• Weight
• How fast the alcohol is consumed
• How much food the individual has in his stomach

A Single Drink Can Cause Impairment Although an average person may be able to handle three or four drinks before crossing the 0.08 threshold for drinking and driving, impairment can set in much sooner. After a single drink, or once a 0.02 BAC is reached, a person may

• Suffer from some loss of judgment
• Have a decrease in visual abilities, specifically the ability to track a rapidly moving object
• Face difficulty when dividing attention to do two tasks at once

One-in-Five Americans Admit to Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol The numbers vary by state, but across the nation, one-in-five Americans admit to driving within two hours of consuming alcohol. It's believed that two-thirds of those who do, choose to do so on a regular basis. Of those surveyed, 8% said they have recently driven knowing they were over the legal limit. The findings suggest that people who are driving after consuming alcohol don't truly grasp how it affects them, nor do they see it as impaired driving. The bottom line is that one drink really is too much to have before getting behind the wheel. Sadly, far too few people realize this, which is why we still see so many drunk-driving accidents today.

Charleston Drunk-Driving Accident Attorney

Explaining the logic doesn't excuse the behavior, but it may help raise awareness so that fewer people choose to operate a vehicle after consuming alcohol. If you or a loved one has been injured by someone who made this poor decision, you may be entitled to compensation. Courts routinely award victims of drunk-drivers with the funds needed to cover medical expenses, pay for damage or losses, and to provide assistance for pain and suffering caused by the incident. We'll gladly provide a no-obligation consultation, at no cost to you. Please complete our online form or speak directly to one of our attorneys now by calling 1(800)610-2546.