Florida drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians should be vigilant to dangers on state roadways. While distracted driving is gaining significant attention and the recent circumstances in which fewer people were taking to the road has led to speeding and other forms of recklessness, drivers who are under the influence remains one of the main causes of injuries and death. This is true despite law enforcement actively seeking out and arresting drivers who have gotten behind the wheel after using alcohol and drugs. When there has been a crash, it is important consider if intoxication was a factor as this can be important when considering options.
Florida in the top-10 for most drunk driving fatalities
Recent research by BuyAutoInsurance.com has shown that Florida is ninth in the highest number of drunk driving fatalities over the past three years. Researchers used statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to come to its conclusions.
For Florida in those three years, there has been an average of 2,947 such deaths annually. That comes to nearly 1,000 overall. For every 100,000 people who live in the state, there were 5.77 deaths. At the top of the list were Mississippi, South Carolina and New Mexico. On a positive note, Florida’s fatality statistics over those three years reduced by nearly 7%. Across the nation, the number of deaths in a drunk driving crash reduced by 4.3%.
A full investigation may be needed to find evidence of DUI
There are telltale signs that law enforcement and accident investigators look for with a DUI crash whether there were injuries or a wrongful death. Of course, testing the driver is one way. It might also include seeing if the driving on the wrong side of the road, checking where the potential drunk driver was coming from, reports of a driver behaving erratically and more.
Given the list of challenges that people may face after a DUI crash, it is imperative to know what happened. If the accident victim is lucky enough to survive, there can still be medical costs, lost wages and other long-term problems that accompany such a crash. After a fatality, the family left behind will want answers. Knowing that Florida is so high on the list for fatal DUI collisions, it is wise to have professional assistance and take appropriate action in deciding how to move forward.