Featured News 2013 Late-Night Alcohol-Related Crashes

Late-Night Alcohol-Related Crashes

DUIs can happen at any time of the day, but late at night and early in the morning constitute a danger zone for all drivers out on the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the highways and freeways of America are most dangerous during the darkest hours of the night when individuals are driving home from bars or restaurants.

Also, DUI offenders are most likely to be out on the road on the weekends when they do not have to be at work the next day. Friday and Saturday are high points for DUI arrests every week in the United States. Many police departments even put out extra patrols during this time to help remove DUI offenders off the streets and create a safer community.

Graphs show that the amount of DUI drivers has actually decreased of the years. In the mid 1990's, the amount of DUI deaths hovered around 30, and this trend is still common today. Thankfully, the amount of drinking and driving as a whole has declined over the past 30 years, according to the National Roadside Alcohol Survey.

This survey shows that in 2007, 12.4 percent of all Friday and Saturday night drivers had a little bit of alcohol in their system but not enough to bring about a conviction. 2.2% had over 0.08% alcohol in their system, and 1.5 percent had greater or equal to .10% alcoholic content. About 0.4% of all people had a BAC of 0.15% or more.

This is a vast improvement from the DUI statistics in the 70s, which show that about 36.1% of all Saturday and Friday night drivers had a BAC above 0. Despite the decline in DUI drivers, the International Institute for Highway Safety writes that crash deaths among DUI drivers are still remaining constant.

This may be partially because of the times covered by the survey and by fatal crash trends, and the months for collecting data. Also, the imputation of BAC for test refusal and sampling weights may cause a difference in the way that the statistics read. Many of the fatalities involving DUI drivers also have other factors that come into play. The 2007 survey showed that fatalities are often higher when there was a child in the vehicle that was under the age of five at the time of the crash.

Also, if a driver was unbelted, this can enhance the possibility of a fatality, and if a driver was speeding. As well, if the police discovered other drugs in the driver's system, this can enhance the danger of an illness, and prior moving violations can do so as well. Also, drivers with a prior crash or license suspension had a higher possibility of a fatality.

Drivers who fail to wear seatbelts can increase their risk of death in a DUI accident significantly. When adjustments were made to a survey about DUI crash fatalities, researchers determined that seatbelt use directly correlates with the number of fatalities each year. If you are arrested for a DUI, chances are that you will be arrested and charged with your crime.

You will then need to attend a hearing regarding your offense and may choose to go to trial. DUI offenses can be serious, bringing on jail time and other issues. If you want more information contact an attorney at the firm today. With the right attorney on your side, you will be able to work in your case for a plea bargain, a dismissal, or a not guilty verdict. You will want to hire a local DUI lawyer who is familiar with the court system in your area.

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