Motor vehicle accidents can be caused by nearly innumerable factors. Whether through environmental factors, driver negligence factors or product liability factors, serious collisions can lead to devastating injuries. Unfortunately, a significant number of crashes are caused each year by drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while their abilities are impaired by drugs or alcohol.
The Pennsylvania DUI Association reviewed statewide crash data to highlight the dangers that an impaired driver might cause on city streets and highways. According to 2019 crash statistics:
- 299 vehicle occupants died in alcohol-related crashes
- On average, there were 26 alcohol-related traffic accidents each day
- On average, nearly one fatality resulted from an alcohol-related traffic accident every day
- On average, 16 people were injured in an alcohol-related traffic accident each day
Additionally, the crash statistics noted when the accidents were more likely to occur and who would likely be injured:
- 87% of the alcohol-related fatalities were occupants in the vehicle driven by the impaired driver
- 73% of the impaired drivers were male
- 69% of the alcohol-related crashes occurred in the evening hours, usually over the weekend
While alcohol only accounted for 8% of the total Pennsylvania vehicle crashes in 2019, they resulted in a disproportionate 28% of all persons who were fatally injured in motor vehicle collisions. According to the survey of crash data, it was found that alcohol-related crashes were 4.9 times more likely to result in death than crashes that did not involve alcohol impairment.
Alcohol-related motor vehicle collisions can result in catastrophic injuries such as brain trauma, spinal cord damage, crush injuries or amputations. The more severe the collision, the greater the possibility that fatalities might result.