The Barnes Firm

Study: Millions Admit to Driving Drunk

• July 24, 2017
• Sandy

LOS ANGELES – Imagine driving across a Long Beach bridge when a pair of headlights suddenly appear ahead of you. There’s little time to react. You attempt to swerve but all you hear is the crashing of plastic and metal. In seconds, you’ve become the victim of a drunk driver.

Unfortunately, this crash was real. The collision killed a person and sent two others to the hospital with serious injuries. The alleged drunk driver was also taken to the hospital but he’s expected to survive. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged him with murder and it wasn’t the first time he’s been caught drunk driving.

Los Angeles car accident attorneys at The Barnes Firm say DUI crashes still happen too often, claiming more than 200 lives in Los Angeles County each year.

“More than 5,000 people have been hurt by drunk drivers this year in the areas around Los Angeles,” car accident lawyer John Sheehan said. “Drunk driving is not only a crime but it’s also a preventable crash that can devastate families.”

New statistics show drunk driving could be much more prevalent than experts thought. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 4.2 million adults reported at least one alcohol-impaired driving episode in the preceding 30 days.

Yes, 4.2 million adults have admitted to drinking and driving at least one time this month.

Researchers at the CDC continued crunching the numbers, suggesting these drunk drivers resulted in an estimated 121 million episodes and a national rate of 505 episodes per 1,000 people annually.

Men accounted for 80-percent of the drunk driving episodes.

“Drivers willfully and knowingly put lives at risk when they get behind the wheel after drinking,” Sheehan said. “All it takes is one episode to be charged with a crime or worse, you can kill someone.”

In Los Angeles and Orange counties, poor judgement resulted in thousands of injuries and nearly 300 deaths last year. Los Angeles car accident attorneys at The Barnes Firm say most of these accidents could be avoided if drivers made responsible choices before going out for a drink.

The Barnes Firm 1-(800) 800-0000