Most frequent causes of drunk driving fatalities

New Mexico drivers should know that about a third of all traffic fatalities are related to drunk driving. At the highest risk of dying in drunk driving crashes are drivers under 24, motorcyclists and those with prior DUI convictions. Young adults are at a higher risk than older adults even when both have the same BAC. This could be because young drivers are inexperienced and tend to travel in groups, making them more prone to distractions.

It takes the liver approximately one hour to process an ounce of alcohol consumed. Until this happens, alcohol remains in the blood and can be measured via the blood alcohol concentration test. For those with compromised livers, the alcohol will remain longer. Throughout the U.S., the legal driving limit is a BAC of 0.08 percent. At this point, a driver’s reaction times will be impaired.

Drunk driving fatalities often arise from head trauma, blood loss resulting from cuts and internal bleeding from damaged organs. Drivers, for example, may incur head trauma by hitting their head against the steering wheel or being hit by flying debris. They may suffer internal bleeding if glass pierces their abdominal cavity or if the steering column strikes it. Severe blood loss leads to hypovolemic shock, where the heart cannot efficiently pump blood.

Those who survive an auto accident may still be left to deal with the effects of catastrophic injuries. Some injuries, such as concussions, can be hard to diagnose, complicating matters if a victim wishes to file a personal injury claim. This is where a lawyer and their network of crash investigators and medical experts can come in. Once the drunk driver’s guilt has been established, the lawyer could negotiate with that person’s auto insurance company for a settlement. If one cannot be achieved, the attorney could litigate.