Drinking and driving was on the rise in Iowa last year. This dangerous decision can put lives at risk, not just for the people making the wrong choice.
Sioux City alone saw a 17% increase in drunk-driving cases, landing at 12th in the nation for such incidents. When someone else’s moves put you and your family in danger, that negligence could come back to bolster your claim.
Bad choices
The higher rates of operating while intoxicated (OWI) may be especially alarming as law enforcement has reported a reduced amount of routine traffic policing over the last year. This could mean the hazards you face on the road may be even greater than the numbers show.
Those hazards are par for the course when it comes to drinking before driving. Alcohol can have a slew of negative impacts on the operator:
- Loss of judgment
- Poor coordination
- Slowed reaction times
And driving a motor vehicle requires these abilities to be keen at all times. Letting one slip can be risky, but when several of these factors take a hit, it can be downright dangerous. These dangers could extend trouble to everyone else they encounter on the road.
Driving fatalities
One person dies every 52 minutes because of drinking and driving in the U.S. This brings the annual tally to over 10,000 people who lost their lives because of an intoxicated operator. Even an accident the comes up short of death could leave you and your family needing years of help.
Getting the compensation you deserve after an accident could depend on linking alcohol to the other driver’s negligence. Once you’re able to do that, you may be on the road to getting the aid you need.