As summer officially comes to a close, people all over Oklahoma are finding ways to celebrate with friends and family one last time, and for many, these celebrations include alcohol. Knowing that many people are gearing up for the last celebration of the summer, our DUI accident attorneys at AMA Law would like to shed light on the risk of drinking and driving, and the prevalence of drunk driving accidents, injuries and fatalities in Oklahoma and across the country. There is nothing good that can come of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, so don’t even take that risk. Unfortunately, DUI accidents do happen in Oklahoma, and the results can be devastating. If you have been injured in an Oklahoma drunk driving accident, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, contact our DUI accident lawyers at AMA Law to discuss your legal options.
CONSEQUENCES OF A DUI ACCIDENT
Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol consumption, but if you’re planning on driving after your end-of-summer celebration, it’s better not to drink at all. Even consuming what may seem like a small amount of alcohol can lead to impaired judgment and reactions, and drinking alcohol over the course of an afternoon or evening may put your blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit, which is 0.08% in Oklahoma. When you choose to drink and drive, you put yourself and others at risk of serious injuries like whiplash, broken bones, concussion, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and possibly even death. In addition, if you are pulled over by Oklahoma law enforcement with a BAC over this limit, you will likely be arrested for drunk driving, a charge that can have serious consequences.
PREVALENCE OF DRUNK DRIVING IN THE U.S.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted 0.08% as their legal limit for blood alcohol content, which makes it illegal for anyone with a BAC of 0.08% or higher to operate a motor vehicle. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 70% of fatal car accidents where alcohol was a factor, at least one driver in the collision had a BAC of .15% or higher. Furthermore, the population with the highest percentage of drivers with BACs of 0.08% or higher was 21 to 24 years old. The most devastating thing about drunk driving is that even if you never put yourself and others at risk by drinking and driving, there are others that do on Oklahoma roadways. Unfortunately, this extremely risky driving behavior can lead to serious injury or even death for innocent passengers and other drivers around those who drive while intoxicated. In fact, in 2010 alone, there was an average of one fatal drunk driving accident every 51 minutes in the United States.
CONTACT OUR DUI ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS FOR HELP
The good news is that the devastating consequences of drunk driving are occurrences that every person can work to prevent. If you have been drinking, choose not to drive, and if your friend or family member has been drinking, don’t let them get behind the wheel. Designate a sober driver before you even leave home, or take a taxi or local transportation to get where you’re going. If you have suffered serious injuries in a DUI accident, contact our drunk driving accident attorneys at AMA Law today. Our DUI accident lawyers, led by Dan Markoff and Jeff Atkins, have years of experience protecting the rights of those involved in Oklahoma City DUI collisions, and will work hard to help you pursue the compensation you deserve for your injuries.