In 2015, 10,265 people were killed in alcohol-fueled accidents claiming 300 more lives than it did in 2014 On average, 28 people per day are killed and hundreds of thousands more suffer serious injuries in alcohol-related accidents. In 2014, more than 345,000 motorists and pedestrians experienced injuries caused by a drunk driver.
Nationwide, alcohol-related crashes cost more than $44 billion dollars a year in medical expenses, long-term care, property damage, and lost wages. It is estimated that drivers have a 1 in 3 chance of being involved in an alcohol-related crash during their lifetime.
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Alcohol Arrests
Law enforcement agencies across the country are actively seeking to reduce the number of drunk-driving fatalities on American roads. In 2014, 1.1 million drivers were arrested for DUI. However, that’s less than 1% of the more than 121 million self-reported incidents of drunk driving that occurred during the same year. It is estimated that a drunk driver will drive drunk more than 80 times before their first arrest.
Risk Varies by Day, Time, and Gender
Approximately 31% of alcohol-related crashes occur during the weekends while only 16% occur during the weekday. The most dangerous times are in the early mornings between the hours of 11pm and 3am. Most recently, a 27-year-old passenger was killed on Lake Shore Drive just after 1am.
Men are more likely to drink and drive than women. In 2010, men were responsible for 81% of DUI incidents.
Drunk Driving in Illinois
In 2012, surveys showed 2.2% of motorists in Illinois self-reported having drinking and driving within the past month. The high rate of DUI’s in the state is why the state passed the all-offender ignition interlock law in 2009.The law has been credited with helping to reduce the number of DUI fatalities in Illinois by 14%. In 2016, law enforcement agencies in Illinois arrested 3,659 individuals for driving under the influence.
In 2016, 307 DUI fatalities occurred on Illinois roads. It was an increase of 1.7% over 2015 and represented 31% of all accident fatalities.
In Illinois, a car accident personal injury lawyer can help drivers, passengers, and pedestrians seek compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, long-term care, property damage, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium. Individuals who have suffered personal injuries in an alcohol-related crash may file suit up to two years following the accident provided they file a claim no later than one year following the accident.