Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
During the Labor Day holiday weekend, there are typically more impaired drivers on the roadways, so you can expect to see more police officers patrolling the streets as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ramps up its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
The goal of the August 14–September 2 campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, is to raise public awareness of the risks and repercussions of drunk driving.
According to the NHTSA, 32% of all traffic deaths in 2022 involved a drunk driver. Over the Labor Day holiday in 2022, 490 people died in traffic accidents.
Research from the NHTSA shows that approximately 13,000 lives are lost annually in drunk driving accidents, with one fatality occurring every 39 minutes.
What Are the Effects of Alcohol When Driving?
In all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of.08 or over is considered drunk driving; the only exception is Utah, where the legal limit is.05.
Alcohol impairs thinking, logic, and muscular coordination, so even just one drink before driving may put you and others lives at risk.
BAC and How It Affects Your Ability to Drive
BAC of .02 – Decrease in visual functions, loss in capacity to accomplish two things at the same time.
BAC of .05 – Decreased reactivity to emergency driving conditions, decreased coordination, trouble steering, and decreased ability to track moving objects.
BAC of .08 – Impaired perception, diminished information processing capacity, inability to focus, short-term memory loss, and lack of control over speed.
BAC of .10 – Limited ability to maintain lane position and stop correctly.
BAC of .15 – Significant impairment in vehicle control, attention to driving tasks, and essential visual and auditory information processing.
What About Drug-Impaired Driving?
Drug use appears to be increasing among drivers. The NHTSA’s latest assessment of seriously or fatally injured road users at trauma centers found that the general prevalence of alcohol, cannabis, and opioids had increased.
To coincide with Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, the NHTSA is also running another campaign titled If You Feel Different, You Drive Different, Drive High – Get a DUI, also running from August 14-September 2 with the hopes of educating others on the very real dangers of driving under the influence of drugs.
Did You Know Motorcyclists Had the Highest Percentage of Drunk Operators in 2022?
An excessive number of motorcycle riders are involved in fatal drunk driving accidents. In 2022, 39% of motorcycle riders killed over the Labor Day holiday period were drunk, according to reports from the NHTSA.
Due to the spike in drunk driving fatalities around Labor Day weekend, the NHTSA will also be running its Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The goal of the August 14–September 2 campaign is to raise public awareness of the risks and repercussions associated with driving or riding while intoxicated.
BAC and How It Affects Your Ability to Ride
BAC of .02 – Decline in visual functions, decrease in capacity to accomplish two activities at the same time.
BAC of .05 – Decreased reactivity to emergency driving conditions, decreased coordination, trouble steering, and decreased ability to track moving objects.
BAC of .08 – Impaired perception, diminished information processing capacity, lack of speed control, diminished attention, and short-term memory loss.
BAC of .10 – Reduced capability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately.
BAC of .15 – Loss of necessary visual and auditory information processing, inability to focus on the task of riding a motorcycle, and inability to control the bike.
Injured in a Labor Day Accident? We Can Help
Riding and driving while intoxicated is prohibited everywhere. A DUI can cost you $10,000 on average, and there is a chance of a collision in which people could be killed or seriously injured. Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are available 24/7 this Labor Day holiday to assist if you or a loved one have been involved in car, motorcycle, or any other type of motor vehicle accident involving a drunk or drug-impaired driver. We can help you hold the at-fault person accountable for their actions and get you the just compensation you deserve. Call us anytime at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.