It’s clear that progress is being made at reducing drunk-driving injuries and deaths, but as these latest arrest totals show, we have to continue to be vigilant.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) January 24, 2012
The arrest of thousands of suspected drunk drivers during the recent holiday period shows that drinking and driving remains a problem on the state’s roads, Washington car accident lawyer Dean Brett said today.
According to statistics released earlier this month by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, law enforcement officers made 3,812 DUI arrests during the period between the Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays. In King County alone, officers recorded 960 DUI arrests – a significant increase from the 876 arrested during the same time frame a year ago.
“On the one hand, this is good news. It shows that police are doing a good job of catching drunk drivers,” said Brett, a partner with the personal injury law firm of Brett Murphy – Washington’s Injury Lawyers.
“But on the other hand, this is also disturbing news,” he said. “It indicates that too many people continue to defy common sense and drive while intoxicated, placing themselves and others at the risk of accidents, injuries and – in the worst cases – death. There’s no excuse for it.”
Driving with blood-alcohol content (BAC) above 0.08 is against the law in Washington State as well as the rest of the country. A motorist convicted of drunk driving may face stiff criminal penalties, including loss of driver’s license, fines and jail time.
They may face serious consequences in the civil justice system, too, if they cause an accident, said Brett. His Washington personal injury firm represents victims of auto accidents throughout the state, including those who have been harmed or lost a loved one to an impaired driver.
In addition to representing victims of DUI accidents, Brett said that his law firm continues to push for tougher laws against drunk drivers, such as laws that heighten penalties for even first-time offenders. The firm also participates in and supports efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving, especially among teenagers and young adults.
Brett pointed out that out of the 492 traffic fatalities in Washington State in 2009, 207 (or 42 percent) involved alcohol-impaired drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2010, the percentage of DUI-related deaths fell to 37 percent, or 170 out of 458 motor vehicle accident deaths.
“It’s clear that progress is being made at reducing drunk-driving injuries and deaths, but as these latest arrest totals show, we have to continue to be vigilant,” Brett said. “One injury or death caused by a drunk driver is one too many.”
About Brett Murphy – Washington’s Injury Lawyers
Brett Murphy – Washington’s Injury Lawyers is a Washington personal injury law firm with offices in Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Bellingham, Mt. Vernon and Vancouver, Washington. The firm represents car accident victims, including those injured in DUI/DWI accidents, and other personal injury victims throughout the state of Washington. The firm’s practice areas also include motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, boating accidents, construction accidents, railroad collisions and aviation crashes. For more information, call the firm at (800) 925-1875 or use its online contact form.
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