Macomb County drunken driving stats are revealing

May 31, 2013

Macomb County drunken driving stats are revealing

Article provided by The Hirsch Law Firm, PLLC
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County-by-county statistics collected by the state demonstrate the seriousness of the drunk driving problem in Macomb County, as statistic compiled for 2011 demonstrate. Drunk drivers are responsible for many injuries and fatalities.

The Macomb County results

In 2011 over 6,800 people sustained personal injuries in motor vehicle accidents in Macomb County. During the same period, 48 people were killed. Alcohol was a factor in about six percent of the crashes that caused injury and more than a quarter of the fatal crashes. When it comes to drunk driving, the criminal penalties give an idea of the magnitude of damages and injuries that occur to other motorists when a drunk driver causes a crash.

Enforcement statistics indicate that 2,377 drivers were arrested for alcohol- or drug-related driving offenses in the county in 2011, but fewer than half were convicted. Michigan State Police administered 1,740 breathalyzer tests and 361 blood tests to determine blood alcohol level.

Alarmingly, blood alcohol tests indicated that many of the drivers who were pulled over and tested on suspicion of drunk driving were intoxicated at a level well above the legal limit of 0.08. Almost half of the breath tests produced a reading at 0.17 or higher, more than twice the Michigan legal limit of 0.08.

A recent example of a drunk driver injuring motorists in a crash

In an all-too-typical recent accident reported by the Detroit Free Press, a 19-year-old Shelby Township man with a blood alcohol level at 0.25 crashed into a vehicle carrying several people. A mother, two teenagers and a two-year-old sustained injuries in the accident.

The young driver was driving with a suspended license. Held in the Macomb County jail, he was charged with three counts of DUI causing serious injury and driving with a suspended license causing serious injury. These offenses are felonies that could carry a five-year jail term. He was also charged with a misdemeanor, unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Regrettably, stories like this are all too common. Although the criminal aspect is important, the primary concern of the victim may be compensation for injuries and damages. Victims of drunk drivers deserve compensation for the injuries these negligent motorists cause. It is helpful to consult with a personal injury attorney after being injured in a motor vehicle accident. It may be possible to recover the costs of medical care to treat injuries, as well as repayment for wages lost while unable to work due to injury. Accident victims can also receive payment as damages for pain and suffering.

If a loved one dies in a motor vehicle accident, it is also possible to file a wrongful death claim. Filing a claim is one way to hold drunk drivers accountable for their actions.