New Jersey DUI Deaths on Rise in Last Year
Posted June 30, 2018
Fatalities caused by New Jersey drunk drivers have spiked dramatically from 2015 to 2016, the years with the most current recorded data.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DUI deaths increased by 27 percent in just one year, as reported by New Jersey 101.5. Drunk drivers cause nearly one third of all traffic fatalities. Roughly 150 people are killed in DUI crashes yearly. Despite recent advancements in car safety technology. DUI fatalities have declined since the 1960s and 1970s, however for some reason they have remained stagnant in recent years.
Lower the Legal BAC
According to the NHTSA, a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05 results in a driver’s “reduced coordination, reduced ability to track moving objects, difficulty steering, and reduced response to emergency driving situations.” So why then is the limit in New Jersey and in many other states set at 0.08? Even a BAC of 0.02 results in declined visual function and ability to perform two tasks at the same time. The fact is; the alcohol industry fears any policy that would lower the legal driving BAC by any amount. However, studies suggest that it would not have an effect on the amount people spend on alcohol. Also, lowering the BAC driving limit to 0.05 would save 1,800 lives a year if implemented in every state.
A Red Bank Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
DUI fatalities are quite possibly the easiest to avoid. Considering drunk drivers typically drive drunk chronically, and may have driven drunk dozens of times before their first arrest, let alone their first DUI collision. So why does the law allow them to continue putting the rest of our lives at risk by reinstating their driver’s licenses? While we do not have an answer for that, we can help you maximize the compensation that you get from the negligent party to pay for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages.