Even a careful driver may find his or her life in danger when sharing the road with an impaired motorist. Unfortunately, drunk driving remains a major problem both nationally and in Georgia.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about one in every four traffic fatalities in the state involves alcohol.
National drunk-driving statistics
The NHTSA reports that there were 10,142 alcohol-related traffic deaths in the U.S. in 2019. That number translates to roughly one fatality every 52 minutes, or about 28 drunk-driving deaths each day.
However, even a motorist who is not over the legal limit may cause a fatal crash. In 2019, 1,775 people died in alcohol-related collisions where the driver had a Blood Alcohol Concentration of .01 to .07 g/dL.
Options available to victims of drunk drivers
In Georgia, a motorist injured in a drunk-driving collision may be able to seek compensation in several ways, including:
- Filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider
- Using his or her own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
- Bringing a personal injury lawsuit against the liable driver
- Filing a lawsuit against a business that served alcohol negligently
Unfortunately, even if the at-fault driver was clearly impaired, those injured may find that receiving needed compensation is an uphill battle.
Receiving needed compensation
Collisions involving an impaired driver are often catastrophic and can have a lifetime of consequences. From emergency medical bills and lost income to pain, suffering and the potential for permanent disability, the cost of a drunk-driving collision may be much higher than an insurance adjuster is willing to admit.
Victims and their families should know that preparing a strong case may be essential for receiving the compensation needed to cover the damage done.