A drunk driving accident can result in significant damage and hardship in the life of a victim. That individual may have to suffer through years of recovery in order to mend their injuries and overcome their fears of being involved in a life-altering crash. For others, surviving a drunk driving accident may not be a guarantee. Fatalities from drunk driving crashes in Florida are both devastating and common.
According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 8,500 people died in drunk driving accidents in Florida between 2003 and 2012. That means that around 850 people lost their lives to drunk drivers in each of the noted years or more than two people per day perished in alcohol-related crashes over the 10-year period.
Drunk driving accidents are preventable and only require individuals to make good and responsible choices about their capacities to drive when they have been consuming alcohol. Unfortunately, too many people assume that they will be able to drive with the same level of care that they have when sober after they have been drinking. This faulty reasoning leads to the many losses of life noted earlier in this post.
Florida's drunk driving fatality statistics exceed national averages in practically all categories studied by the CDC. This means that drunk driving is a problem in the state and a danger to individuals who must use the state's roads and highways to travel. Victims of drunk driving accidents often have long roads to recovery or must learn to live without loved ones who were killed by intoxicated drivers. All victims of these senseless incidents should consider their legal options to protect their rights to seek damages.