Despite the serious offenses that face someone accused of drunk driving, it appears that it still runs rampant and remains a problem for everyone on the roads throughout the United States, including those from the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. According to records, last weekend alone authorities arrested at least 15 drivers with various drunk driving and other driving charges between Friday night and Sunday.
The charges were varied and include charges such as DWI, drinking in a motor vehicle and even drug possession and manufacturing charges. Even more alarming were some of the driving charges that were included in the records. These included reckless operation, speeding, improper lane usage, following too close, failure to maintain control, careless driving and disobeying a red light. All these offenses while on the road could very well have led to a serious or catastrophic car accident, if the drivers were not first caught by authorities.
Drunk driving is a very serious concern for anyone on the roads, and often leads to drunk driving accidents. According to statistics provided by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or M.A.D.D. from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as many as 300,000 people across the United States drive drunk daily. In addition, nearly half of all drivers killed in car accidents tested positive for drugs or alcohol in their system and approximately one-third of those convicted or arrested were repeat offenders.
If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. This may include not only medical expenses and rehabilitation costs, but compensation for pain and suffering and lost wages. You may want to speak with a law firm familiar with personal injury to learn how to proceed.
Source: The Advocate, “15 booked on DWI in East Baton Rouge from Friday through Sunday,” By Advocate staff report, April 30, 2017