Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the United States. While most drivers are well aware of the dangers of drunk driving, fewer people are reminded about the shockingly high number of drivers who drive while impaired by drugs. Recent studies have been done on the number of car accidents per year that are caused by drugs. To prevent these accidents, only drive when sober and mentally capable. Continue reading this blog to learn more, or reach out to a Corpus Christi, Texas Car Accident Lawyer for individualized legal counseling.
HOW MANY CAR ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY DRUGS?
The US National Highway Traffic Safety recently researched the causes of vehicle accidents in our country. Sadly, 55% of drivers involved in fatal or serious-injury car accidents had alcohol or drugs in their system. They found that in all fatal or serious-injury car accidents per year,
- 25% involved a driver who had some type of cannabis in their system
- 11% involved a driver who tested positive for stimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamines
- 9% involved a driver who had opioids in their system
In 32% of fatal car accidents and 18% of serious-injury collisions, a driver tested positive for two or more drugs.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT CAUSED BY AN IMPAIRED DRIVER?
Someone should call emergency services after any auto accident. When local law enforcement arrives on the scene, police officers will need to determine who caused the accident for the official police report. If the at-fault driver appears visibly impaired, the officers might perform a breathalyzer test on them. This test only detects a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC), which is the amount of alcohol in someone’s system. Officers will need a blood/urine test to detect drugs and determine whether the at-fault driver was impaired.
Texas is an at-fault state when it comes to auto accidents, so most of your damages should be covered by the at-fault driver’s insurance. However, you can file a personal injury claim to earn further restitution for your injuries. You may be able to use a concept called “negligence per se” if the at-fault driver was impaired by drugs because they broke a law when causing the accident. In this case, you may have a higher chance of winning compensation.
Have you recently been involved in a car accident that was caused by a driver impaired by drugs? You might want to speak with a trusted personal injury lawyer who can help you to determine your best options going forward. Thankfully, Sahadi Legal Group is on your side! Contact our highly experienced team today for an initial consultation.
