The consumption of alcohol is a common way for people to celebrate or relax. Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with New York adults of legal age having a few drinks with friends. The potential for problems happens when someone who has been drinking gets behind the wheel of a car. Many people assume that if they’ve only had a drink or two, they’re perfectly safe to drive, and their blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, may even test below the legal limit. However, a new study suggests that even low amounts of alcohol in the bloodstream may contribute to motor vehicle accidents.
The study looked at crash statistics for a period of 16 years, amounting to more than 600,000 collisions. In over a third of those crashes, at least one involved driver tested positive for alcohol in the bloodstream. When considering those crashes alone, 15% of them had a driver with a BAC below the legal limit. What’s even more troubling is that over half of those crashes resulted in the death of someone besides the driver who had consumed alcohol. Furthermore, young people were more likely to die in these types of crashes.
The researchers involved say that this study shows that driving under the influence of any alcohol can be deadly, for not just the drinking driver, but anyone he or she encounters. They say that the study also showed that in places that had stricter laws regarding BAC levels, there was a drop in these types of accidents. Advocates want to see the legal limit for BAC dropped from .08% to .05% with the aim of reducing car accidents.
Any kind of car crash can devastate a family, but when it happens due to something completely preventable, it can leave a family wondering what to do. Those who lose loved ones to motor vehicle accidents involving the consumption of alcohol may want to file a wrongful death claim. A personal injury attorney here in New York can help a family hold those responsible financially accountable for their actions.