New studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have some good news and some bad news. While the number of drivers with alcohol in their system has declined since 2007, the number of drivers with marijuana or other drugs has gone up. The mixed results from the study show there is still a very serious risk that some motorists are driving while impaired.
Drunk Driving Accident Risks in Long Beach
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has conducted a National Roadside Survey five times over the course of the past 40 years. The survey asks drivers who are stopped at roadblocks to voluntarily submit to testing for alcohol or drugs in their system. The survey was conducted in 2007, and then again in 2014.
Comparing the 2014 to the 2007 survey revealed a decline of almost one-third in the number of motorists with alcohol in their system when they were stopped. By contrast, there was a “large increase” in the number of drivers using both legal and illegal drugs. In the 2014 survey, almost 25 percent of drivers tested positive for using at least one drug that could impact their ability to safely operate their vehicle.
Similar to drunk driving, drugged driving is illegal. Even some prescription medications – including medical marijuana – can impair a person’s driving ability. A driver who takes a prescription drug, or a non-prescription drug, that prevents him from operating a motor vehicle safely, can be arrested for impaired driving. That driver can also be held accountable if his drug related impairment causes a car accident.
If you or someone you love is injured in a motor vehicle accident with a drugged driver, you should be able to pursue a claim to receive compensation for economic and non-financial losses. You will need to be able to prove the other driver was the direct cause of the collision. Because drugged driving is illegal, showing the driver had used drugs can create a presumption that the motorist was negligent.
An attorney can obtain toxicology reports showing the motorist was impaired by drugs, which can be used when making a personal injury claim. In addition to showing the driver was drugged, your accident attorney will also need to show the crash happened because of the motorist’s intoxication. An experienced professional can make the legal arguments for a strong case for compensation.
Contact a Long Beach DUI Accident Lawyer Today
Your Injuries are Personal to Me
The Law Office of Michael D. Waks provides representation to victims of a DUI driver involving both drunk drivers and drugged drivers. I have helped many clients successfully prove a driver should be held accountable for causing a crash while impaired. I will fight for your right to full compensation after a drunk or drugged driving accident occurs.
Call the Law Office of Michael D. Waks at 888-394-1174 or use the convenient online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
- How to Help Your Loved One Cope with a Spinal Cord Injury - October 27, 2021
- How Can I Prove a Motorist Fell Asleep in Traffic? - October 20, 2021
- Filing a Truck Accident Claim? Avoid These Common Mistakes - October 13, 2021
