Florida Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers
Drunk drivers are some of the greatest risks on our roadways, and they put all of us in harm’s way. Every driver understands that they are bound by the rules of the road, which include not driving under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, some motorists either don’t care or don’t think the rules apply to them, and they continue to make dangerous choices regarding drinking and driving.
If a drunk driver leaves you or someone you love injured, that driver should be held accountable to the fullest extent under both criminal and civil law. You need the aggressive Sarasota and Tampa drunk driving accident lawyers of Matthews Injury Law handling your claim.
Drunk Driving: The Sobering Statistics
When it comes to drunk driving, the statistics speak for themselves. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares the following:
- Approximately every 50 minutes, someone in the United States is killed in a drunk driving crash.
- Drunk drivers kill more than 10,000 people every year (in a recent year, 10,511 people lost their lives to drunk drivers).
- Drunk drivers contribute to about $44 billion in damages each year.
- 29 percent of all traffic accidents in a year were caused by drunk drivers.
Drunk driving is an exceptionally dangerous practice, and drunk drivers should fully compensate victims for all of the damages they deserve, including punitive damages.
The Dangerous Effects of Alcohol
NHTSA relays the dangerous effects that alcohol has on drivers, including:
- In the early stages, drivers can experience a decline in visual function.
- With a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of about .05 percent, drivers can experience a decrease in coordination and a reduction in their ability to track moving objects (both of which are obviously critical to driving safely).
- At a BAC of .08 (the legal limit in Florida and the vast majority of other states), motorists can experience a decreased ability to concentrate, some short-term memory loss, loss of ability to control the speed of one’s vehicle, impaired perceptions, and a decrease in one’s ability to process information.
The term impaired driving is accurate, as drunk drivers experience considerable impairments that leave them unfit to drive. To make the matter that much more serious, alcohol can exacerbate the effects of prescription and/or drugs in one’s system.
No Good Excuse
There is no acceptable excuse for being drunk behind the wheel. Motorists are responsible for making safe choices, and when someone makes the decision to drink and drive, they should then cover the following losses of any victims:
- Past and future medical costs
- Past and future lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent injuries and impairments
- Punitive damages when appropriate
Make the Call to an Experienced Sarasota and Tampa Drunk Driving Accident Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk driver, the highly committed Tampa and Sarasota car accident attorneys at Matthews Injury Law are standing by to help. Our compassionate legal team has the experience and strategy to seek the best possible results in and out of court. For more information about how we can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 813-530-1000 or 941-877-5800 today.