Paris Hilton.
Shemar Moore.
Ray Liotta.
What do all of these celebrities have in common? They have all recently been arrested for the crime of DUI, or driving under the influence. Unfortunately, celebrities are not the only people who are guilty of drinking and driving. They are just the most visible face of a problem that often leads to car accidents, motorcycle crashes and truck accidents. But they do help to remind us that driving under the influence is a dangerous crime. Our Sacramento Personal Injury Law Firm represents many people who have had their lives forever injured by a drunk driver.
In 2005, 34% of all people killed in traffic accidents in California involved a car crash with a person whose blood alcohol concentration was 0.08 or higher. Drivers with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or above are considered legally intoxicated. Such car accidents resulted in 1,466 deaths in California in the year 2005. According to the US Department of Transportation, this is the highest number of alcohol-related deaths in ten years. And the death totals have been rising for the last seven years. Because of this increase, many of us know of a friend or family member who was killed in a car crash by a drunk driver.
As a lawyer and concerned parent, I was the founding President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) Santa Clara County Chapter. M.A.D.D. and similar organizations in Sacramento and elsewhere have been helpful in getting the word out about the dangers of drunk driving and auto accidents, but it appears there is more work to be done.
If you or anyone you know have been victims of an auto accident caused by an intoxicated driver, give us a call. We are here to help. And remember, don’t drink and drive…