The danger of encountering a drunk driver is significant throughout Pennsylvania. When a driver is under the influence, it negatively impacts judgment and reactions. This can lead to a crash with serious injuries and death. A longstanding danger when on the road is being hit by a drunk driver. To make matters worse, the problem seems to be increasing. Those who are in a crash must be aware if it might have been due to a driver who was under the influence, as this can be important when filing a lawsuit.
According to recently revealed statistics, State Police have been responding to a rise in accidents in which a driver was under the influence. This can be due to alcohol or drugs. In 2017, there were 5,180 such incidents. That is a rise if 14.6 percent from the year before. Arrests for DUI also rose across Pennsylvania, with an increase of 2.2 percent to slightly fewer than 20,000.
Law enforcement officers try to hammer home the danger by telling the public that the act of driving under the influence can cause injury and death. It can be difficult for officers to discern how many of the arrests they have made were due to alcohol or drugs, but the entire U.S. is dealing with a problematic rise in opioid use. Attempts are made to station officers in areas where there was a high rate of DUI accidents. Also, the time of year can be a factor, as holiday weekends can be popular times for people to make mistakes and commit DUI after a night out.
The State Police statistics do not count local accidents in its calculations. With the Pennsylvania DOT numbers, more than 12,000 accidents involving DUI were recorded across the state in 2017. This was a rise of 2.1 percent from 2016. Prior to this spike, the number of DUI accidents in the state was declining in the years 2002 to 2014. 2014 was the best year for DUI crash reduction with 11,436.
With accidents caused by a drunk driver, the victim can face major medical expenses, lost time at work, the inability to effectively contribute to a family and the need for long-term and costly care. There could be a fatality that will leave a family left behind with many problems financially, personally and emotionally. A law firm that has a history of helping those who have been impacted by a drunk driver can be a crucial part of the investigation and receiving compensation for all that was lost.