You’re coming back home after a long day at work. You make a turn…and find your life temporarily coming to a screeching halt.
A drunk driving crash can happen to anyone at any time. When it happens you need to contact an operating under the influence lawyer to not just get assistance with your legal fees, but to help close the book on the issue. Today’s American road is fraught with hazards, ranging from environmental to technical, and drunk driving remains one of the most deadly as we know it. If you’ve never contacted a DUI lawyer before or it’s been years since you’ve encountered a drunk driver, the list below will refresh you so you’re not left in the dark.
What Is Drunk Driving?
While drunk driving may seem like an obvious term, the fact of the matter is a little different. The term has since expanded over the years to refer not just to a driver attempting to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, but also under the influence of legal drugs, illegal drugs and over-the-counter medication. According to studies provided by the CDC, nearly 14% of nighttime and weekend drivers have marijuana in their system. Today car accidents are the leading cause of teenage fatalities, with over 30% involving alcohol of some sort.
How Common Is Drunk Driving?
While drunk driving rates have decreased in some areas of the country, this still remains a common issue that affects hundreds of people every day. It’s estimated nearly 800 people will be injured in a crash involving drunk driving on a daily basis. These figures become even more dismal as you go along. Every two minutes a person will become injured in a drunk driving crash and, overall, drunk driving alone costs the American economy over $130 billion every year. Not only that, but one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of drunk driving have done so repeatedly.
Which Drunk Driving Laws Have Changed?
Just like the legal definition of what constitutes drunk driving, some laws have since changed or been expanded upon to keep up with the changing times. Drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher are considered to be alcohol-impaired. Utah, however, has recently implemented this number needs to be 0.05% or higher. No matter where you’ve been in a car crash, however, an operating under the influence lawyer or criminal lawyer will be your first line of defense as you reach a viable conclusion to your case.
What If I’ve Been Injured?
Not all crashes look the same. Some only cause mild damage to the car’s fender. Others cause extreme injury or death. If you’ve sustained an injury it’s imperative you talk to an operating under the influence lawyer that is also familiar with personal injury claims. Drunk driving is frequently not a spontaneous act, but a repeat one, and it’s thought the average drunk driver has driven drunk at least 80 times before their first arrest. Common injuries include whiplash, broken bones and burns.
How Can An Operating Under The Influence Lawyer Help Me?
When you’ve been in a car crash your first thought is likely the bills you have to pay and the days you’ll have to take off work to recover. When a drunk driver is in the mix? You will understandably be angry at how something like this could have been easily prevented. An operating under the influence lawyer will help you through the process of interrogating witnesses, cooperating with the law and filing the necessary paperwork to help you with insurance. This is especially grounding if you’ve been injured and are unsure how easily you can get back on your own two feet without a little help.
This isn’t a battle you have to fight alone. Let an OUI attorney or criminal attorney help you out of this bind.