It’s not all that uncommon for drunk drivers to cause fatalities in Seattle and around the country. Unfortunately, thousands of people are killed because they were in the car with a drunk driver or were struck by someone driving under the influence. Here’s more information about fatalities that were caused by drunk driving.
Drunk driving fatalities are declining
A lot of effort has been made to curb drunk driving. These efforts include increased education and harsher penalties for drunk drivers. Motor vehicle accidents that involve drunk driving have decreased by about 65% since 1982. Unfortunately, thousands of people are still killed each year by drunk drivers.
Even fatalities involving underage drunk drivers have decreased
While an individual has to be at least 21 years of age to purchase alcohol, some teenagers and young adults still consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car. Fatalities that involve an underage drunk driver make up close to 9% of all drinking and driving fatalities that occur in the United States each year. Fortunately, since 1982, drunk driving fatalities that were caused by those who are underage have decreased by over 80%.
How drivers can stay safe
While drinking and driving is still a huge problem, there are some ways that individuals can stay safe. It’s imperative that drivers don’t have any alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair their driving and cause them to make poor decisions. They also shouldn’t get in a car that will be driven by someone who has been drinking. If an individual notices that another driver seems to be impaired as they are driving in an unsafe manner, they should report it right away.
Drinking and driving often cause fatalities, but these fatalities have decreased substantially over the past several decades. Hopefully, these trends will continue as more people learn about the dangers of drinking and driving and the penalties for DUI continue to become harsher.