Maryland Fatal Car Accident Attorneys

Driving While Impaired Statistics

When drivers choose to drive under the influence of alcohol, they endanger everyone with whom they share the road.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares several sobering drunk-driving statistics:

• In 2015, alcohol contributed to nearly one-third of U.S. traffic fatalities.
• 16 percent of all accidents in 2015 that killed children involved impaired drivers.
• Only about one percent of all the self-reported cases of driving under the influence in the United States results in DUI charges.

These statistics assure us that drunk drivers are out there operating their vehicles carelessly and that they make our roadways more dangerous for everyone.

If you or someone you love was injured—or worse—by an impaired driver in Maryland, you need skilled legal counsel. At Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers, we know how harrowing these claims are, and our dedicated personal injury attorneys are committed to helping you recover on yours. We have six locations in Maryland, and we’re here to help.

Blood Alcohol Content Legal Limit

To determine whether a driver was impaired, police usually measure the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC). A driver’s BAC also indicates the degree of impairment. In Maryland, if a driver’s BAC reaches 0.08 percent or more, police can cite the driver with driving under the influence (DUI). If the driver’s BAC falls between .04 percent and .08 percent, however, police can charge the driver with driving while impaired (DWI). Drivers younger than 21 cannot exceed the limit of 0.02 percent.

If the negligence of someone you believe is impaired injured you, relay this information to an officer of the law who’s at the scene of the accident. Mentioning your belief that the other driver is impaired (and why you believe this is true) may help ensure that police test the negligent driver’s BAC.

Driving Under the Influence is Dangerous

Alcohol impairs a driver’s physiologic responses, which are critical to complicated driving tasks.

Several studies highlight the dangers of driving while impaired and its specific, deleterious effects, which include:

• A diminished capacity to recover from the glare that’s common to nighttime driving
• A diminished ability to track visually complex situations, such as the traffic on the road
• Decreased peripheral vision, which is elemental to driving safely
• The inability to perform well when factors compete for one’s attention, such as driving often demands

Alcohol impairs a driver’s ability to drive safely, and impaired drivers cause dangerous accidents.

Contact Alpert Scheyer Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers Today!

Every driver should know the risks of harm they create when they use a smartphone or engage in other distracting activities while driving. When someone’s negligence suddenly disrupts your life, it is important that you discuss your rights with a skilled personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers, we regularly represent clients injured in many types of crashes and those suffering from many types of injuries. If you would like to learn your options for taking legal action and seeking compensation, please do not hesitate to contact our firm.