Drunk Drivers Causing Mayhem, Accidents and Injuries

While drunk driving fatalities have declined 36 percent overall, and among drivers under age 21, the number of alcohol-related fatalities has decreased by 63 percent according to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, people are still making the dangerous choice to get behind the wheel after they have had too much to drink. At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we protect those who have been injured by drunk drivers. Please contact our auto accidents attorneys in Wilmington, Seaford or Newark to learn more.

On Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30pm, a man who was driving a 2000 Cadillac crashed into the rear end of a Dodge Durango that was stopped at a tollbooth in the Delaware toll plaza. The Cadillac did not slow down or stop before it careened into the other vehicle, causing a chain reaction accident that involved two additional vehicles. The Durango struck the rear of a Chevrolet Suburban and two occupied tollbooths. A passenger in the Durango was trapped inside the vehicle and was extricated using the “jaws of life.” Four people were taken to area hospitals with injuries.

While the two tollbooths that were struck did suffer damage, both toll operators refused to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. The accident closed three lanes of the toll plaza temporarily. The 31-year-old driver was charged with DUI and other charges according to 6abcnews.com.

Alcohol related crashes in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Delaware ranks 2nd in a list of 18 states with the highest rates of drinking and driving, with 843 episodes of drinking and driving per 1,000 population. Almost 30 people each day die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver, which amounts to a drunk driving death occurring every 51 minutes. The annual cost of drunk driving crashes totals more than $59 billion. In 2012, over 1.3 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics, which amounts to one percent of the 121 million self-reported episodes of alcohol impaired driving among U.S. adults each year according to the CDC.

AAA estimates that alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost an estimated $114.3 billion, which includes $51.1 billion in monetary costs and approximately $63.2 billion in quality of life losses. The people other than the drunk driver in alcohol-related crashes paid more than $71.6 billion of the bill, which is 63 percent of the total cost of those crashes.

Drunk driving causes injury and death, yet these crashes are completely preventable. When you sustain injuries in a drunk-driving crash, you may be able to take legal action against the driver in a negligence lawsuit. A Delaware car crash attorney from Silverman, McDonald & Friedman can discuss your case and explain your legal options.

You are welcome to give us a call us at 302.414.5553 or fill out our quick contact form to schedule a free case review. The law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman is conveniently located in Newark, Seaford and Wilmington and we are proud to serve clients throughout Delaware.