Drunk Driving Car Accidents in Michigan

Thousands of people drive drunk every day. Over 10,000 people die in drunk driving crashes every year. The decision to get behind the wheel after drinking takes just seconds. It takes the same amount of time to cause a fatal accident. If you have been in a drunk driving accident or lost a loved one because of a drunk driver, contact Femminineo Attorneys to discuss your case.

How Alcohol Affects Your Driving Ability

Impairment in any form when you’re driving is a sure route to an auto accident. Drunk driving, distracted driving, and drowsy driving all mimic each other. None is any less of a threat to other drivers and pedestrians but they all affect driving skills in similar ways:

• Poor reflexes:

  Coordination is reduced when there is alcohol in your system. Steering can be difficult. Reaction time is especially compromised, and the split-seconds needed to stop short or swerve or notice an obstacle or other vehicle is impaired.

• Loss of judgment:

  Drunk drivers have difficulty reasoning. They make poor choices. They insist they’re fine to drive because they’ve done it successfully in the past. They make a turn too soon or too late or realize they’re going in the wrong direction and make a quick move to change course. They’re happy and uninhibited, which makes them more likely to make a poor choice on the road.

• Compromised vision:

  Being able to see other cars and judge their distance from you or near you is compromised when your vision is affected by alcohol. When your sight is negatively impacted it can lead to actions like running over curbs, hitting a pedestrian, missing someone else’s turn signal, or running lights.

• Inability to multitask:

  Multitasking is ineffective in most situations because your brain simply cannot perform two things well at one time. When you’re driving drunk, your ability to at least attempt to perform well is obliterated. Divided attention, wherein one of the things taking your attention is the effects of alcohol, is dangerous.

• Reckless driving:

  Drunk driving is uninhibited driving. You’re on top of the world, you’re infallible and powerful. You have no self-control. You may see the road as all yours and become a driver whose every move is exaggerated – speeding, driving slowly, weaving. Maintaining lane position is difficult and braking appropriately is problematic.

• Compromised alertness:

  It’s harder for a drunk driver to detect danger because their judgment and perception are so off. They may zone in and out or fall asleep at the wheel. They are physically unable to focus on the task at hand.

The higher a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC), the worse their driving abilities get. This doesn’t mean it’s OK to drive when you’ve only had a little to drink. There is no such thing as less-drunk driving. If there is alcohol in your system – whether a little or a lot – your driving skills will be affected.

Combine drunk driving with distracted driving or drowsy driving and the dangers are multiplied. Driving drunk while on prescription medications or an illegal substance and driving becomes riskier. Any type of impairment is a threat to all motorists and pedestrians, including the drunk driver and their passengers.

Contact a Macomb County Lawyer if You Were Hurt by a Drunk Driver

Drunk driving is an epidemic in Michigan and around the nation, but thousands of people make the choice to drink and drive every day. Fatal accidents caused by a driver who is under the influence lead to penalties for that driver which can include fines, community service, license suspension, ignition interlock devices, and jail time. The casualties of drunk driving accidents, however, do not compare to the penalties that drunk drivers face.

Because of an intoxicated driver, lives are lost, families are shattered, and people live with the aftereffects of a tragic accident that impedes their ability to work and live their life as they always have. If you have suffered because of the negligence of a drunk driver, contact David Femminineo at Femminineo Attorneys, PLLC in Mt. Clemens. He will help you get the compensation you deserve.