Drunk Driving Realities

Drunk Driving Realities in San Francisco

Residents in the Bay Area should be aware of the statistics for drunk driving fatalities in all local counties.

The realities of drunk driving are sobering indeed. Statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2013 indicate that 867 out of 3,000 vehicular deaths in California were caused by drunk drivers. Impaired driving accident victims who survive such crashes are often left with disabling injuries and extensive rehabilitation processes. Family members must either grieve the loss of their loved ones or work hard to help them along in their recoveries.

Local news stories show the wide range of situations that may involve drunk drivers:

• A 19-year old student at Santa Clara University has become one of the more recent injured motorcyclists due to the negligence of a suspected drunk driver. The student was ejected from his bike when hit from the rear on Highway 17 according to InsideBayArea.com.The driver of the vehicle who hit the student fled the scene but was later arrested on multiple charges including DUI. The 52-year old man also had a suspended driver’s license. The victim sustained injuries to internal organs and multiple broken bones. He will miss at least one full quarter of college while he recovers from his injuries.
• A 23-year old man faces DUI and vehicular manslaughter charges in the death of two of his passengers after losing control of and rolling his SUV. InsideBayArea.com noted that three other passengers were treated at a nearby hospital.
• KRON4.com ran a story detailing the arrest of a man known to be on San Francisco’s DUI Hot List due to his multiple prior convictions. Upon being stopped for motor vehicle violations, the 53-year old man was arrested for drunk driving and for driving with a suspended license.

Sadly, such stories are not unique, as these only scratch the surface of the truth about drunk driving in the Bay Area.

Numbers confirm the risk

Of California’s 867 drunk driving fatalities in 2013, eight of those occurred in San Francisco County. Neighboring Santa Clara and Alameda Counties experienced 27 and 21 such deaths, respectively. San Mateo lost 17 lives to drunk drivers and Contra Costa another 12. In Marin County, two people died in drunk driving accidents.

The eight drunk driving deaths in San Francisco County were out of a total 33 motor vehicle fatalities due to all causes.

What should residents do?

Because drunk driving accidents cannot always be avoided, being prepared to take action is a must. Contacting a personal injury attorney should be one of the first steps taken after these crashes occur.